Two engineering students from Kerala drowned in the sea off St. Mary’s island in Udupi around 1 p.m. on April 7. Another student is missing.
The students are from Mangalam Engineering College in Kottayam, Kerala. The deceased, whose bodies have been retrieved, have been identified as Allen Reji, 22, and Amal C. Anil, 22. Another student Antony, 21, is missing. Expert swimmer Eshwar Malpe is part of a team that is searching for Antony.
Police said that a team of 42 engineering students and their faculty had visited the island, which is a tourist destination, as part of a leisure tour. The students had begun the tour from their college on April 6 around 4.30 p.m. On reaching Udupi on April 7 morning, they took a boat to the island.
One student slipped into the water while taking a selfie. Two other students jumped into the sea to rescue him.
According to Sudesh Shetty, Malpe beach leaseholder, five lifeguards have been deputed on the island. A life guard had warned the student, who wanted the selfie, about the risk to his life.
Mr. Shetty said that a safe swimming zone has been marked on the east side of the island. The tragedy occurred when the student entered a prohibited area on the west side of the island. The only option to avert any such incident in future is to impose a ban on tourists stepping on to the west side of the island.
