Mumbai: Thirteen students drowned on Monday after they went swimming off the popular Murud-Janjira beach in Maharashtra's Raigad district.
The toll is expected to rise as 10-12 students are still missing.
The tragedy happened at Murud beach, around 140 kilometres (90 miles) south of Mumbai, in the Raigad district of Maharashtra state, said assistant inspector of police Arvind Patil.
“A total of 155 students from Pune went to Murud main beach and some of them went swimming around 3.30 pm this afternoon,” he told AFP.
“Thirteen students are dead due to drowning. The victims were all aged between 19 and 23,” Patil said, adding that 10 women and three men died.
“Local people and police are engaged in rescue operations,” he added, saying it was not yet clear whether all the students had been accounted for.
The Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard also deployed a Chetak helicopter and a speed boat besides police divers for combined rescue operations.
The victims were enrolled at Pune’s Abeda Inamdar College -- an arts, science and commerce institute - and were in Murud for a picnic.
The MCES president, PA Inamdar, said that the students, studying in first, second and third year B.Sc (Computer Science) and BCA (Computer Applications), had gone on a college-sponsored annual picnic accompanied by at least five staff members and other support staff.
“We are shocked by this tragedy. We are making all efforts to help the students and their families with the help of the local villagers and police. A team of our trustees has already left Pune for Raigad for rendering further assistance,” Inamdar said.
He added that the process of ascertaining the identity of the victims and informing their families is underway.
