two teenage girls risked their lives trying to save a drowning man .
police launched an urgent appeal to help identify him .
a man in sri lanka recognised boobesh palani and notified the authorities .
the 26-year-old student from india died in wellington hospital .
thanks to the appeal his family and friends were with him in his final days .
kelly mckay and payge olds pulled mr palani from wellington harbour .
payge , 16 , swam 70 metres out to the man in the pitch black .
kelly , 15 , performed cpr on the man until paramedics arrived .