NEW DELHI, April 15 (Xinhua) -- In a tragic incident, some eight students died after drowning in the sea off the coast of Vayri in the western Indian state of Maharashtra Saturday.
"The victims, along with other students of an engineering college in the southern state of Karnataka, were on a picnic in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district and went to the sea for a swim," a senior police official said on condition of anonymity.
While others swam to shore, the eight students drowned and their bodies were later shipped out, the official said, adding that three other students sustained injuries in high tide and have been admitted to a local hospital.
Police said local fishermen helped them in the rescue and that the students ventured out into the sea, despite warning from locals of strong current and high tide at the time.
"The bodies of the students have been handed over to their parents who arrived in Maharashtra after they were informed about the mishap. They will be cremated later in the day or Sunday," another official said.
College authorities have been called for questioning to ascertain their role in the incident, the official said, adding that there was no teacher from the college present on the spot at the time of the incident.
