Amaravati, Feb 26 (NationPress) In a tragic incident, five young men lost their lives after they drowned in the Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district on Wednesday morning. This occurred as they waded into the waters for a bath before their prayers on Maha Shivratri, according to officials, who confirmed that all the bodies have been retrieved.

The unfortunate event took place at Tadipudi in Tallapudi mandal. A group of 11 students, all under 20 years of age, ventured to the river for a morning bath.

Unaware of the river's depth, the group encountered trouble shortly after entering the water. Eyewitness accounts reveal that they attempted to assist one another, resulting in the drowning of five individuals. The other six were fortunate to reach the riverbank safely.

Upon receiving alerts from the local community, police promptly arrived and initiated a rescue operation with the aid of trained swimmers. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and fire service teams also joined in the efforts.

Initially, NDRF personnel recovered three bodies. They were identified as P. Durga Prasad (19), Tirumalashetti Pavan (17), and P. Sai Krishna (19).

Subsequently, the bodies of G. Akash (19) and Anishetty Pavan (19) were located.

These young men were students pursuing intermediate or degree courses in Kovvur, Tallapudi, and Rajamahendravaram, all hailing from the same village. With Wednesday being a holiday for their colleges due to Maha Shivratri, they decided to enjoy a bath in the river prior to heading to a temple for puja.

All five deceased individuals' bodies were transported to a government hospital for autopsy. The families of the victims arrived at the scene, visibly distraught and grieving.

Senior police and revenue officials oversaw the search and recovery operation.