News
Ex-police sergeant dies after hitting his head on rock while diving
View(s):A retired police sergeant died after striking his head on a rock while diving in the sea at Negombo, a coroner’s court was told. The deceased, Sgt Balasooriya Jayatissa, 62, a resident of Galewatte, Ekala, was a former Crimes Unit officer of the Ekala Police. Giving evidence at the inquest held at the Colombo National Hospital, a technical officer attached to the Maradana Technical College, Sisira Kumara said that the deceased requested his company and his children to go to a hotel in Negombo.
“We went to Negombo. The deceased dived several times, when, on one occasion he hit his head on a rock under water,” Mr. Kumara said, adding that the blow was severe. “He couldn’t even turn his neck when we got him ashore. We rushed him to the Negombo hospital, from where he was later transferred to the Colombo National Hospital. He died the following morning,” Mr. Kumara said.
JMO Dr A. Wasanthahewa confirmed that death was caused by injuries to his head, after hitting a rock. Inquirer into Sudden Deaths, Ashroff Rumi stated that death was due to the injury caused while taking a deep dive and striking his head against the rock.