11 pilgrims drown during church festival

AFP: At least 11 people including a child and five women drowned when an overcrowded boat carrying Christian pilgrims capsized in rough seas off Sri Lanka’s southwest coast Sunday, police said.

The victims had set off in a parade of fishing boats from the tourist resort of Beruwala but halfway into their journey their craft overturned in choppy seas, police said.

A Sri Lankan man looks on after seeing the bodies of his family members who drowned in the waters off Katukurunda along the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka on February 19, 2017, when a boat carrying Christian pilgrims capsized. At least 11 people including a child and five women drowned when an overcrowded boat carrying Christian pilgrims capsized in rough seas off Sri Lanka’s southwest coast February 19, police said. The victims had set off in a parade of fishing boats from the tourist resort of Beruwala but halfway into their journey their craft overturned in choppy seas, police said AFP)

“Other fishing boats and volunteers have been able to rescue 32 people, but we still do not have a count on the number of people on board,” a police officer in the area told AFP by telephone.

He said searches by navy boats as well as aircraft were hampered by heavy winds and rain.Sunday’s boat parade came amid a warning to fishing communities from the meteorological department of winds up to 80 kilometres (50 miles) an hour. 

Sunday’s tragedy was the worst boat disaster since June 2013 when 54 fishermen were killed after several boats capsized during a freak storm in the same area.

Sri Lankan children look on as navy boats search the waters off Katukurunda along the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka on February 19, 2017, after a boat carrying Christian pilgrims capsized, drowning 11 people including a child and five women - AFP