Three medical students from Karnataka drowned while bathing in the sea off Payyambalam beach in Kerala’s Kannur on Sunday.
The deceased have been identified as Afnan, Rahanudeen, and Afraz. Police sources said the students , who were studying in a medical college in Bengaluru, were part of an eight-member group who had come to Kannur for a picnic with friends and were staying at a nearby resort. They ventured into the sea despite warnings about rough conditions.
Eyewitnesses said the tragedy occurred at around 7 am when the students had gone swimming in the sea. While some of them remained close to the shore, three got caught in the waves
The Fire and Rescue personnel retrieved two students first and rushed to the hospital but were declared brought dead. An hour and a half later, the body of a third person was recovered by the Fire and Rescue personnel. The bodies have been sent to Kannur District Hospital for postmortem examination.
Kannur city police have registered a case of unnatural death. The police are contacting the college authorities and the families of the victims in Karnataka to arrange for the transportation of the bodies.