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| Sunday, 24 August 2003 |
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Fifteen-year-old's saga at sea A fifteen-year-old boy who had been adrift in the high seas for over 17 hours after his boat capsized, related this amazing tale of survival to The Sunday Observer's Telwatta Group Correspondent A Fred de Silva.
D.P. Nadun Thushara (15) of Modera Patuwatha, Dodanduwa, left the Hikkaduwa Fishery Harbour around 3.30 p.m. along with two older fishermen, for night fishing. It was the rough season in the deep seas. After laying their nets around 7.30 p.m. the waves gradually became rougher. Waves of great height began to crash onto the outboard dinghy, and the fishermen were thrown off their boats into the darkness. Thushara was thrown about 300 yards and managed to face the rough waves by swimming hard. He could not see the other two fishermen and he feared they may have sunk. The boat too could not be seen. Swimming further Thushara saw a white object floating far away in the dark. After he swam towards it to his relief he found it was the capsized boat. He climbed onto the stern. There was heavy rain and continuous high waves. Thushara was hungry but all he had to consume was drops of rainwater. The previous noon he had a loaf of bread for lunch at home, and nothing since. The loaf of bread he had brought for dinner had been washed away. "I was struggling to save my life, regardless of hunger. I was facing the gigantic waves, storm and rain," said Thushara. "I saw a glittering thunder bolt crash into the sea. The clouds far away seemed like devils looking down at me. I saw the beam of the Beruwela lighthouse throughout, but not any ships. In normal weather, the storm waves would have capsized the boat, but because the boat was bound tightly by the nylon nets laid in the sea, it did not get thrown." "At this stage I feared the sharks that lurked under the sea currents during off season. I prayed to the Buddha and God Kataragama to save me. I was in pain and bleedings with injuries. I was hanging onto the stern fully naked as I couldn't wear my shorts, they were so wet.
"At dawn I saw a faint light in the sky and realised where the east was. I saw a boat passing very far away, I waved but they paid no heed. Later I came to know that it was a Navy boat that had gone in search of us. " "Afterwards, close to noon, I saw a trawler going past. I waved my shorts in the hope they would spot me. Luckily the boat changed course and turned in my direction. That particular boat came and stopped at a point away from me, without coming any closer, because the fishermen knew that there were nets laid under the surface of the sea. Realising this, I jumped into the sea from the capsized boat and swam towards the boat, about 300 yards. They threw a rope towards me. I caught it tightly and they dragged me on to their trawler." When this correspondent questioned Thushara about his courage and energy to jump into the sea and swim so far to reach the boat, he said that it was a choice between life and death. By realising this I got the courage to do so. "I knew I should not miss this boat as there would not be another fishing boat that would come out in this weather." "Those unknown fishermen gave me food and water and treated me well. It was the first time I filled my stomach with fresh water after 17 hours at sea. The fishermen brought me to Hikkaduwa Fishery Harbour immediately. "When it was close to noon I saw a very large crowd gathered around - more than a thousand people were standing on boulder reefs too. Only when the trawler came into the harbour that the crowd knew I was alive. I was on the Hikkaduwa jetty for about half an hour. Nobody came to take me to hospital. There was only my mother behind me weeping and begging of the large crowd to assist her to find a vehicle, as she had no money to hire one. The owner of the capsized boat was also there. But he kept quiet. Not a single cent was given. "On seeing the pathetic situation, finally a lorry driver who came to load fish, took me and drove me straight to Karapitiya Galle Hospital, which is more than 20 miles away. On the way the unknown lorry driver told me that thousands of people gathered around the fishery harbour to see my corpse. After seeing me the crowd of vehicle owners, tri-shaw owners, hiring car owners, businessmen of tourist hotels and fish mudalalis all quietly left the spot. Nobody gave a cent to my mother, she only came to hospital by bus later. Only my family members came to see me when I was in hospital, for about a week, under treatment." Thushara explained to the Sunday Observer that his father is a drunkard. Thushara has studied up to the sixth standard, and thereafter was compelled to give up his studies due to poverty. So he decided to engage in fishing from the age of ten, to feed his 55-year-old mother. Thushara has no permanent place to live. at present his mother lives with her daughter who is married to a lake fisherman in a shanty belonging to somebody else. As this shanty is single roomed, it cannot accommodate Thushara, who goes to the beach of Dodanduwa. He sleeps inside or under sterns of vallams and outrigger boats. If it rains at night he runs for shelter under the roofs of sheds in the houses close by. He is aware of all the methods of fishing and is familiar with fishing gear. "My ambition is to become a very active fisherman soon," he says. To do all this I need a house to live and then a boat with fishing gear. I am appealing to all kind hearted citizens especially the President and the Prime Minister, Minister of Fisheries and others to assist me at this time of need. "On hearing my tragedy the Fishery Inspector, Dodanduwa noted all these details and told me that he would try to give me a boat with nets through the Department of Fisheries. But so far I have heard nothing about it." Thushara's address is: D.P. Nadun Thushara, C/O Mrs. G.P. Yasawathie (his mother), Modera, Patuwatha, Dodanduwa. |
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