Two children were rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy after the jet ski they were riding overturned at Gregory Lake in Nuwara Eliya on Sunday, August 16.
Personnel from the Navy’s Rapid Response Rescue and Relief Unit (4RU), who were deployed for lifesaving duties at the lake, witnessed the incident and intervened immediately. The Daily Mirror reported that the two children were at risk of drowning and were brought to safety.
The rescued children, aged 11 and 13, are residents of the Minuwangoda area. They were handed over to Nuwara Eliya Police after being brought ashore.
A busy recreational lake
Gregory Lake is one of Nuwara Eliya’s main attractions and a centre for boating, jet skiing and other water sports, drawing heavy visitor numbers during the hill country’s peak season. The Navy maintains a lifesaving presence at the lake.
The Daily Mirror report did not say whether the children were accompanied by an adult, whether they were wearing life jackets, or whether any action would follow against the jet ski operator.
Water safety has been a recurring concern this year. Two children drowned in a boat capsize off Kalpitiya earlier this month, and the Navy rescued 10 people after a boat capsized near Nagadeepa last week.
