Dutch tourist rescued after getting lost in Singimale Forest

Officers from the Hatton Police successfully rescued a 20-year-old Dutch woman who was stranded on the summit of the Singimale Forest Reserve in Hatton.

The woman, identified as Luna Tughut from Amsterdam, is a university student visiting the country with a group of fellow students. While affiliated with the University of Ruhuna for her studies, she had travelled to Hatton on the 5th for a research project. She was staying at a non-governmental organisation office on Ponnagar Road, from where she set out to climb the mountain.

Reports indicate that she entered the reserve yesterday morning (06) to view the summit but was unable to find her way back. After losing her path, she climbed to the top to locate the route but eventually contacted officials at the Hatton NGO office to inform them she was stranded.

Upon being notified by the local official, a team of officers, including the OIC of the Crimes Investigation Division, trekked through the reserve under the instructions of Senior Superintendent of Police Pradeep Weerasekera and Hatton Headquarters Chief Inspector W.R.A.D. Sugathadasa. They located the woman sitting on a rock at the summit and brought her back safely after providing food and water within the forest.

The woman expressed her gratitude to the Hatton Police for the rescue before returning to her lodging with her friends.