What Happened to the Three Andhra Youths Found in the Godavari?

Synopsis
In a tragic incident near Kamini Lanka, three bodies have been recovered from the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh, while five others remain missing. The youths, who were attending a wedding, drowned during a swim. The ongoing search operation involves multiple agencies, and the Chief Minister has expressed his condolences and support for the rescue efforts.
Key Takeaways
- Three bodies recovered from Godavari River.
- Five youths still missing and search ongoing.
- Incident occurred during a wedding celebration.
- Community and officials mobilized for rescue efforts.
- Importance of swimming safety highlighted.
Amaravati, May 27 (NationPress) Authorities have recovered the bodies of three out of eight youths feared to have drowned in the Godavari River, located in Andhra Pradesh's Dr B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district, as reported by police on Tuesday.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) is still actively searching for the five other missing individuals.
The deceased were identified as Vaddi Rajesh (15), his brother Vaddi Mahesh (15), and Subbitha Paul Abhishek (18), whose bodies were located in the morning.
A total of 11 youths were reported to have drowned while bathing in the river near Kamini Lanka in Mummidivaram mandal on Monday.
Of the group, three managed to escape while the others were swept away.
The missing youths include Subbitha Kranti Kiran (19), Tatipudi Nitish (18), Elumarthi Sai (18), Rohith (18), and Elipe Mahesh (14).
Four of the youths hailed from Kakinada district, while the others were from Konaseema. All were students in Class 10 and Intermediate.
The search operation is being conducted by the SDRF, police, revenue, and fisheries departments, with assistance from local fishermen and expert swimmers.
In total, eight boats, including three from SDRF and six drones, have been deployed for the operation, which is being overseen by Konaseema district Collector R. Mahesh Kumar and Superintendent of Police Krishna Rao.
The group had traveled to attend a friend's wedding in Seri Lanka in K. Gangavaram mandal. After lunch, they went for a swim in the river.
Local witnesses mentioned that the youths were unaware of the water’s depth and lacked swimming skills.
Initial police investigations suggest that when two youths began to drown, three others attempted to rescue them, leading to a tragic chain reaction where all involved ended up in distress.
The remaining three who reached the bank raised an alarm and sought help from locals.
Police responded swiftly, coordinating with local residents to initiate a search for the missing individuals. Officials from various departments, including the SDRF, were also on-site.
The search operation extended late into the evening and resumed early on Tuesday.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed his condolences and shock regarding the incident, reaching out to the Konaseema district Collector for updates on the rescue efforts.
The Chief Minister urged officials to exert all efforts in locating the missing youths and to keep their families informed regularly.