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Sri Lanka Army

Defender of the Nation

19th February 2016 00:05:25 Hours

3 Commando Soldier's Timely Intervention Saves Teenager's Life

The timely-action and presence of mind of 3 Commando Regiment’s, Corporal M.P.M.G.S Wickramarathne miraculously saved the life of the teenager, Mohammed Nickam (18) of Gampola Zahira College when the latter was about to be drowned in the swimming pool at a private holiday resort near Kotmale on Monday (15).

The teenager, believed to have gone to this resort at Kotmale for a dive in the swimming pool has by accident swum to the deep-end of the pool and unexpectedly sank below 16 feet deep with no sign of returning. However, since he was desperately failing to reappear above the water level as he would obviously have planned earlier, the hotel employees began panicking while the victim was compelled to remain inside the pool water.

In the meantime, the motorbike-ridden Corporal M.P.M.G.S Wickramarathne, bound for home by this time after work at the 11 Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR) camp at Kotmale suddenly spotted the unruly large crowd of people thronging towards the hotel resort and paused to inquire into the reason.

Having realized the gravity of the situation, the soldier wasted no time and hurried to the swimming pool where the boy lying deep inside. He swiftly jumped into the pool with his clothes on with the sole intention of rescuing the boy already struggling inside the water, unable to swim back.

The determined soldier pulling the boy fighting against death by one of the legs managed to take the victim above water after three sustained and daring efforts. Seconds after that, the soldier using his first-aid knowledge adopted resuscitating medical practices on him and ensured the start of the victim’s breathing before he was rushed to Gampola Hospital where he is now recovering in the Intensive Care Unit.

Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva, Commander of the Army on Thursday (18) during his visit to the Commando Regiment at Ganemulla for a troop address after opening a new accommodation building on hearing the bravery of the soldier specially summoned him on stage and appreciated his gallant act by praising him.

Hospital authorities maintain that the victim would have died had it not been the timely intervention of the soldier who attended to the basic first aid needs having rescued him from water.