Bodies of missing youths wash ashore at Keri

PANAJI: The bodies of two of the four youths, who drowned off Keri beach on Sunday and were untraceable till late evening, washed ashore on Monday.
The bodies of Thabstun Khatun, 12, and Mohammad Ali, 16, both residents of Orda, Candolim, were retrieved and handed over to their families. The bodies of Sakina Khatum, 17, and Mohamad Vakil, 25, also from Candolim, were recovered on Sunday evening.Both were declared brought dead when taken to the primary health center, Tuem.
The four were pulled by the waves when they climbed on the rocky portion on the beach to take photos. The spot is marked unsafe for swimming as well as for photography. The four were part of the group of 20 people from Candolim who gone to Keri beach on a picknic.
A lifeguard said when one of the four slipped into the sea, others three got down to lend a helping hand and all four drowned. The spot where the accident happened, has a depth. “At such spots, even a good swimmer can find himself out of depth. Climbing back on the rock or holding onto to it is tough with it being likely to be slippery,” he said.
The rocks though appear inviting as photography with splashing waves in the background, the risk is life-threatening. “A tall wave can knock you down in a blink. Your chances of falling into water slippery rock is also high,” he said.