3 youngsters from Navi Mumbai go on a picnic, drown at Nagaon beach near Alibaug

The deceased were part of a group of eight friends from Kopar Khairane; two bodies found, search on for third.

Three youngsters drowned at Nagaon beach, near Alibaug, on Friday evening. While the bodies of two victims – Ashish Mishra, 20, and Fahad Siddiqui, 21 – were recovered, the body of the third victim, Chaitanya Sule, 20, is yet to be found.

The three vicitms drowned on Friday evening. While two bodies were found on Saturday morning, officials are still trying to find the third. (Representational photo)

According to police, the victims, along with 10 other friends, were visiting Alibaug and had booked two rooms in cottages. Around 7.30pm, when they were at Nagaon beach, six of them decided to take a swim in the sea.

“Of the six boys who went for a swim, four ventured into the deep sea. After a while, one of them noticed the other three drowning and raised an alarm,” said an official from the Alibaug police station. “After the friends’ attempts to rescue them proved unsuccessful, they informed the local boatmen,” he said.

“Mishra and Siddiqui’s bodies were found stuck in rocks near Agrao jetty and Korlei village, respectively. Our officials and the coast guard are searching for Sule,” said the officer. The bodies have been sent to a government hospital for post mortem, after which they will be handed over to the victims’ families, police said.