At least three members of a family drowned in the Arabian Sea in Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra, during a picnic, while four others who went into the water with them remain missing, police said.
A 16-year-old girl from the group was rescued, an official added. The incident took place around 4 pm off Shiroda-Velagar beach, over 490 km from Mumbai.
"Eight members of a family were on a picnic. While two stayed in Kudal (Sindhudurg), six others had come from Belgaum (Belagavi in Karnataka)," the official said.
All eight entered the sea for swimming but soon began drowning as they underestimated the water’s depth, he explained.
Following the alert, police and local disaster management teams launched a rescue operation. Three bodies were recovered during the search, while four others remain missing, the official said.
The 16-year-old girl was rescued by the teams, who continued searching for the remaining four victims until late evening.
With inputs from PTI
