8 including 5 Tiruchy medicos drown in rough Kumari sea
On Monday, they went to Kanniyakumari beach to witness the sunrise and then headed to Lemur beach near Mandaikadu where they were playing on the shore. Suddenly a huge wave dragged all eight of them into the sea.
Visuals from the spot
TiIRUCHY: A jolly morning trip to the beach in Kanniyakumari to watch the sunrise turned tragic at two different points as eight persons, including five medicos, belonging to three groups drowned on two consecutive days on Sunday and Monday.
According to sources, in the first incident, a batch of eight students from SRM Medical College, Tiruchy, and KAPV Government Medical College, Tiruchy, identified as P Sarvadharshith (23) of Parakkal in Kanniyakumari, M Praveen Sam (23) od Dindigul, B Gayathri (25) of Neyveli, Venkatesh (24) of Andhra Pradesh, D Charukavi (23) of Thanjavur, S Neshi (24) of Karur, R Preethi Priyanka (23) of Theni and S Saranya (24) of Madurai, had gone to Nagercoil to attend a marriage function on Sunday.
On Monday, they went to Kanniyakumari beach to witness the sunrise and then headed to Lemur beach near Mandaikadu where they were playing on the shore. Suddenly a huge wave dragged all eight of them into the sea.
On hearing their screams, local fishermen jumped into the sea and managed to rescue Neshi, Preethi Priyanka, and Saranya. However, they could not trace the other five. The rescued were rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital in Asaripallam, while fishermen continued their efforts to trace the missing students. Sadly, they managed to only retrieve the bodies of the other five. Among the three rescued, the condition of Neshi is said to be critical, while Preethi, Priyanka, and Saranya are said to be recovering.
In another incident, on Sunday, a group of 20 tourists from Chennai had gone to Kodimunai near Colachel. Suddenly, six of the group climbed up a groyne kept to prevent sea intrusion but were pulled into the sea.
Fishermen from the locality rushed to the spot and rescued four of them but two others were retrieved dead, The bodies were sent to Government Medical College, Asaripallam.
Meanwhile, on Sunday evening, Premadas (42) from Puthukadai in Kanniyakumari along with his daughter Athisha (7) went for a walk on Thengapattinam beach. When they were watching the waves from the shore, they were washed away by a huge wave into the sea. Though fishermen swung into action immediately, they managed to rescue Premadas alone. Athisha's body was washed ashore on Monday.
It may be noted that the IMD had issued a high tide warning and advised fishermen and others not to venture or go close to the sea on southern coasts.
