Daijiworld Media Network

Mumbai, Jun 25: A challenge by a teenager to his friend to touch the rope hanging from the MV Wisdom vessel, proved to be fatal here at Juhu beach, on Friday June 24 morning.

The boy won the challenge, but while swimming back to the shore he was engulfed by a huge wave. A lifegaurd who was a little away from the shore rushed to save him, but by the time he could reach him, the boy had already disappeared among the waves.

Until late night on Friday, the body was not found.

It is learnt that the lifeguards at the beach are not paid anything and render their services as a social work. Hence, they are not available round the clock which resulted in the delay in rescue in this particular case. Lifeguards need to be stationed 24x7 to avoid such incidents, said an eyewitness at Juhu beach.

M Chaudhari, senior police inspector of Santa Cruz, said efforts were on to identify the victim. "We have registered a case of accidental death and are making attempts to identify the teenager who drowned," said Chaudhari.