Indian student suspected drowned in Latvia

LONDON: An Indian student who went missing while swimming in the Latvian capital is feared to have drowned, media reports said on Saturday.

News portal LSM, part of the Public broadcasting of Latvia, quoted friends of Albin Shinto from Kerala, who went missing while swimming in the Jugla canal in Rīga as saying that they feared the worst after he disappeared beneath the waves.

The portal said eyewitness Arhik Haries said Shinto was one of five friends who swam in the canal on July 18 in the evening. “Albin got into difficulties and was sinking from view. Two of his friends tried to save him and almost succeeded but they, too, got into difficulties.”

A passing fisherman managed to save the rescuers with his boat but unfortunately, Albin Shinto was lost beneath the waves, it said.

Haries acknowledged that police and rescuers, including a diver, were quickly on the scene and searched for “two to three hours” but were unable to find Shinto and called off the search with night approaching.

The search would continue not before Monday “because of limited resources being available to conduct large-scale and lengthy search operations,” the portal said.

Meanwhile, the Indian mission for Sweden and Latvia said in a post on X: “Embassy is in regular contact with Latvian authorities regarding the unfortunate incident of suspected drowning of an Indian student in Riga. We remain in touch with the family and will continue to extend all possible help.”