Two tourists from Mysuru were killed and 12injured when the boat they were on capsized after encountering high waves near the mouth of Kodi Bengre estuary in Udupi district on Sunday, police said on Monday.
The deceased were identified as Shankarappa, 22, and Sindhu, 23. Both were among a group of 28call centre employees from Mysuru’s Saraswathipuram on a trip to Udupi, said police. The incident occurred at around 11am, they added.
Out of the injured passengers, 2 others are reportedly in critical condition, said police, adding that they were identified as Dharamaraj and Disha, both 26 years old. The boat was one of two carrying the group on a recreational ride on the Arabian Sea. Each vessel had 14 passengers, said police.
According to M Eranna, inspector with Malpe police station, “Local residents played a crucial role in rescuing the tourists. Without their timely intervention, the casualties could have been much higher.”
Police said they were examining whether safety practices were followed properly, and had registered a case of negligence against the owners of the boat.
Although life jackets were said to have been issued before the boats left Delta Beach, police said they found that some passengers were not wearing them when the accident occurred.