A petroleum tanker driver is lucky to be alive after being rescued from from flooding waters in Galana Kulalu by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust aerial unit.
According to the Trust, the driver was stuck in the rising waters from 10.00am in the morning on Wednesday, only for him to be rescued 6 hours later.
The survivor was driving across the Galana Kulalu cause way when his tanker was swept away by the raging waters.
“Today, a harrowing rescue mission unfolded inches above swirling floodwaters. Thanks to an impressive team effort, a great tragedy was averted and a man’s life was saved. It was 4:30 PM when our Galana Ops Manager raised the alarm: A tanker had been been driving across the Galana Kulalu causeway when the river suddenly flooded and surrounded it. Flooding is a constant threat during the rainy season, and it is often impossible to predict when or how quickly water levels will rise,” Sheldrick Trust reported.
The driver was trapped inside the tanker but he managed to break its window and clung on the topside as water continued to fill the tanker.
“The man clung to the top, but it was only a matter of time before the entire vehicle would be submerged. Onlookers watched helplessly from the shore, horrified but unable to intervene, as the current made any sort of crossing impossible,” the Trust said.
“The driver had been stuck in the floodwaters since 10:00 that morning. We can only imagine what was racing through his mind as the water continued to rise around him. Within minutes of the helicopter’s arrival, however, he was back on firm ground. It was a high-stakes rescue mission that ended with the best possible outcome,” the report further stated
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