News
Five drownings over long weekend
By Norman Palihawadane
Five deaths due to drowning had been reported within the last 48 hours that ended at 08.00 am yesterday from various parts of the country, police said.A 21-year-old woman went missing while bathing in the Attanagalu Oya in Nittambuwa on Saturday evening. Relatives of the victim have told the police that she went to bathe in the Attanagalu Oya with her family members while visiting a relative in Nittambuwa. A search operation had been launched to find the missing woman, who is believed to have drowned, police said.
A 42-year-old resident of Negombo died while bathing in the Deduru Oya in Chilaw on Sunday evening. The man was reported missing while bathing with a group of friends who were on a trip to Chilaw. His body was found in a search operation conducted by the police and the Navy.
Two other individuals drowned while bathing in the Ethalaya Sea in Alankuda, Norochcholai, on Sunday evening. The two men, aged 21 and 66 years, were part of a group on a trip to the area. Their bodies were found and kept at the mortuary of the Puttalam Hospital for the post mortem, police said.
A 29-year-old male had drowned while bathing at the Pasikuda beach in Kalkudah, Batticaloa, on Sunday, police said. The victim too had been a member of a group on a leisure trip.
He had been swimming beyond the safety area demarcated for bathing in the sea. The body of the deceased was taken to the Valachchenai Hospital for the post mortem.
It has been reported that the former Superintendent of the Boossa Prison S Dhammika has been shot dead by an unidentified gunman in Akmeemana.
The Search and Rescue Communication Exercise (SARCOMEX-25) was successfully conducted on 11 Mar 25 between the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Chennai, India, and MRCC Colombo, Sri Lanka. The exercise aimed to further strengthen regional search and rescue (SAR) services and enhance coordination during maritime emergencies.
The exercise simulated two challenging maritime scenarios; a flooding emergency on board and a man overboard situation within the Sri Lankan and Indian Search and Rescue Regions.
These scenarios were designed to evaluate real-time communication, inter-agency cooperation, and the operational efficiency of both MRCCs.
The exercise provided a valuable platform to identify gaps in SAR plans and improve overall response mechanisms of both MRCCs.
The Prime Minister’s Office strongly condemns the fraudulent cryptocurrency scam advertisements currently being promoted on Facebook and Instagram, falsely featuring Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and other prominent Sri Lankan figures. These deceptive ads, operated by foreign entities, aim to mislead the public and exploit the trust associated with well-known personalities.
It has come to our attention that these scam campaigns, originating from fraudulent accounts based in Lithuania, are actively targeting Facebook users in Sri Lanka.
Similar ads have recently featured Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, Minister of Science and Technology MP Chrishantha Abeysena, and well-known journalists Amantha Perera and Sunanda Deshapriya, as well as other Sri Lankan public figures in previous instances.
Public Advisory
We urge citizens to exercise extreme caution when encountering online advertisements promoting cryptocurrency investments, particularly those falsely claiming endorsements from government officials and public figures. No government official or ministry has endorsed any cryptocurrency investment scheme.
Additionally, despite reports and removal requests, variations of these scams continue to appear on social media platforms, highlighting serious concerns about the inability of Facebook to curb fraudulent advertising effectively. We call upon Meta (Facebook’s parent company) to take immediate and stronger action to prevent the spread of these deceptive campaigns and safeguard Sri Lankan users from financial fraud.
How to Protect Yourself:
• Do not engage with or click on suspicious ads claiming endorsements from public figures.
• Report fraudulent advertisements directly on Facebook and Instagram.
• Verify all financial opportunities through legitimate sources before investing.
The Prime Minister’s Office remains committed to protecting the public from online fraud and will continue working with relevant authorities to address this growing issue. We urge media organizations and digital platforms to act responsibly in curbing the spread of misinformation and scams.
For official government updates, please refer to the Prime Minister’s Office’s official website and social media channels.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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