Family of tourists who drowned at Cairns swimming hole call for more safety warnings
Gomiya Gajanayake (wearing hat) surrounded by friends the day after his brother and father drowned at Crystal Cascades.()
Source:-www.abc.net.au
Relatives who watched on as a father and son drowned at a popular swimming hole near Cairns have expressed their devastation at the loss, and called for more warnings for tourists.
Key points:
- A father and son drowned at a popular swimming hole in Cairns on Tuesday
- The grief-stricken family have paid tribute to their beloved relatives
- A family friend has called for better signage and warnings at the site
Warning: The story contains details that some readers may find distressing.
Melbourne man Sisira Gajanayaka, 59, and his son Themi, 20, drowned on Tuesday at Crystal Cascades, outside Cairns city.
Mr Gajanayaka’s wife Thushri, daughter Senadi, 14, and older son Gomiya, 26, all saw the tragedy unfold.
Gomiya Gajanayaka said he lost his two best friends before his eyes.
“If you ask anyone about my dad, he was one of the most selfless, loving, caring people on the planet. He would do anything for anyone in a heartbeat,” he said.
“He was a really, really great dad. He loved my sister and my brother would do anything for us.
“He loved my mum so much. He wouldn’t want this to happen.”
Gomiya Gajanayake says his father and brother were wonderful people and had many plans for the future.()
Themi Gajanayaka, a promising music producer who worked under the name Txkeout, was not far from his 21st birthday.
“Txkeout was my best friend. We had so many plans together,” Gomiya said.
“We wanted to rule the world.
“So much love. He just always wanted to be happy.“
The scenic spot at Crystal Cascades where Sisira and Themi Gajanayaka drowned.()
Family on holiday
Senesh Fernando, one of the men who dived in to try and save Themi, was also one of his best friends.
“He was just the best mate you’ve ever had,” he said.
“He was always putting people first. Always had so much to give to everyone. He was just loved by everyone and loved everyone.”
The family, who were holidaying from Narre Warren in Victoria, cut short their two-week trip to Far North Queensland and flew home on Wednesday night.
They had been out on a reef tour in the morning and went to the cascades after a stop at a market. It was their first visit to the region.
Nishanta Fernanda, family friend of Crystal Cascades drowning victims Sisira and Themi Gajanayaka.()
Tragedy strikes
Family friend Nishanta Fernanda said Sisira jumped off a low waterfall in one of the middle pools and got into difficulty.
“I heard these two noises and a ‘help’,” he said.
He and his children rushed to the waterfall.
“I tried to swim there. And I realised there was some sort of current there,” he said.
Four younger members of the group, Jeneesha and Senesh Fernando, Delu Samarakoon, and Nashatha Hengodage, jumped in to try and save him.
“I’m focusing on my two kids and Themi walked in,” Mr Fernanda said.
“He was trying to help his dad. It’s a natural thing.”
They pulled Sisira to the surface but Mr Fernanda said he was too heavy to drag out and slipped back under the waterfall.
At this point, Themi dived in to help but did not resurface.
Locals helped retrieve Themi and performed CPR, and emergency services retrieved Sisira’s body later.
Mr Fernando has called for more warnings and signage.
“We need to stop this from ever happening again,” he said.
Family friends are rallying in the family’s home community to help.
Sisira was an auto electrician by trade and had worked as a a bus driver for several years in Melbourne.
He arrived in Australia from Sri Lanka in the early 1990s.
An 18-year-old man drowned at Crystal Cascades in 2014 after he slipped and fell from a waterfall.
