Pune Students Drown off Murud Beach in Maharashtra, 14 Feared Dead

Navy and the Coast Guard have launched search operations for the others who are still reportedly missing.

Relatives gathered at Pune college after 14 students, including three girls, were feared drowned at Murud Janjira beach near Alibaug in Raigad district on Monday. (Photo: PTI)

A picnic on the coast of the Arabian Sea turned tragic on Sunday for a group of youngsters from a Pune college with 13 of them drowning off the popular Murud-Janjira beach in adjoining Raigad district.

The incident occurred in the afternoon when a total of 18 students went into the sea to swim. The 18 to 20-year-olds were all BSC and BCA computer students.

According to a Coast Guard spokesperson, 13 bodies were recovered while a few students are still untraced. Both the Coast Guard and the Navy have launched operations to rescue other students who are still reportedly missing.

The students were part of a group of over 120 students from Inamdar College in Pune. They went to the Murud beach in three buses.

The Navy has also deployed two interceptor crafts to facilitate search operations.