"UNITE TO TURN THE TIDE"

World Drowning Prevention Day is marked annually on 25^th July to raise awareness on drowning as a preventable cause of death and to promote measures that reduce drowning-related fatalities. The global theme for year 2026 is "Unite to Turn the Tide." In line with this year's observance, the Sri Lanka Coast Guard has planned to conduct a series of public awareness programmes and lifesaving training aimed at raising public awareness of drowning prevention and promoting lifesaving skills within the communities.

Further, since its establishment in 2012, the Sri Lanka Coast Guard Lifesaving Training School at Balapitiya, has conducted a Wide range of lifesaving training programmes, including the Basic, Intermediate, Bronze Medallion, Silver Medallion, Lifesaving Instructor and Pool Lifeguard Course and successfully trained nearly 5,000 life guards including foreign, local armed forces personnel, university students, other government department officials, school children and general public.

Furthermore, the Sri Lanka Coast Guard has established 16 lifesaving posts around the island and deployed trained lifeguards to conduct continuous rescue operations. Through these lifesaving operations, the Sri Lanka Coast Guard has successfully rescued more than 2,650 persons from drowning incidents, of whom over 1,200 were foreign nationals.