Bodies of father and son drowned in Welioya river found

By Chaturanga Samarawickrama and Saman Palitha Nanayakkara  

The bodies of the 17-year-old son and his 52-year-old father who were carried away by a sudden gush of water in the Welioya river in Kalupahana, Haldummulla, were found last morning, the Police said. 

They said search operations were launched on Thursday evening (15) to locate the bodies of the two victims with the support of the Army rescue team from Diyatalawa and area residents.  

The father and his son had suddenly vanished while bathing in Welioya river in Kalupahana, Haldummulla last evening, Police said.  

Police said the two bodies were found wedged among the rocks some 600 metres away from the spot where they went missing.  

Grama Niladhari of the area W.M.B.Weerakoon said the tragedy struck when the relatives and members belonging to one family who were travelling from Pamunuwa, Maharagama to Bandarawela to spend the New Year holidays, went for a bath in the Welioya river, where the father and his son went missing.

  
He said the Welioya river saw a sudden gush of water due to the heavy rain experienced in the Ohiya area in the highlands.   

A couple that was caught in this sudden gush, was holding on to a rock until the area residents saved them with a great effort, with the help of ropes and tree logs.  

• A couple that was caught in this sudden gush, was holding on to a rock until the area residents saved them with a great effort