Udupi: Two Students from Mangalore Drown near St Mary's Isles

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore / Udupi (mb)

Map courtesy Indian Coast Guard

Udupi, Dec 25 (8-30 pm): Two students from Mangalore met their watery grave near St Mary's Isles off the Malpe harbour near here on Tuesday, December 25 afternoon.

Speaking to Daijiworld, the Malpe police said the two students, identified as Ajit (25) and Vinod (21), are said to have been studying in I BCom in St Aloysius College, Mangalore.

File pic of St Mary's Isles near Malpe harbour

The two, from among a group of nine students on a private tour, had gone swimming and drowned around 3 pm.

The police also informed that their bodies have been traced.

Further details are awaited.

Late report: (9-00 pm)

Sources said that Ajit hailed from Konaje and Vinod from Jeppu, Mangalore. It is not confirmed if Ajit was a student of St Aloysis. But St Aloysius College sources confirmed having received an intimation about the drowning case.

Eyewitnesses said that the staff of the boat carrying tourists from Malpe jetty to the isles had warned them not to get into water. It is said that the group were playing in water and got deeper into the sea to fetch a ball that was drifting away. As one of them was drowning, the other went to save him, but both drowned the soon after.

The bodies were fished out with the help of fishermen and local swimmers. Another from the group is also injured in the head by a rock, but he was saved in time, said eyewitnesses.