Two Kerala Tourists Drown After Slipping Into Frozen Sela Lake in Arunachal’s Tawang
A tragic accident occurred at Sela Lake in Tawang when unstable ice gave way, claiming the lives of two tourists from Kerala; one body has been recovered while search operations will resume Saturday morning, police said.
A shocking incident has occurred in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district. Two tourists from Kerala drowned after slipping into the famous tourist destination, Sela Lake. The accident occurred when the ice on the lake's surface suddenly became unstable.
According to reports, a group of seven tourists from Kerala had visited Tawang. On Friday afternoon, one member of the group slipped near the lake and fell into the icy water. Dinu (26) and Mahadev (24) jumped into the lake to rescue him. Although the third tourist managed to escape, Dinu and Mahadev drowned in the freezing cold water.
One body recovered, search for the other continues
Tawang Superintendent of Police D.W. Thongon said that the administration received information about the accident at around 3 pm. Following this, a joint team of district police, central forces, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) launched the rescue operation. Despite poor weather and low visibility, the body of one tourist was recovered, while the search for the other had to be halted due to darkness.
Search Operation to Resume Saturday Morning
According to the administration, the search for the missing tourist will resume Saturday morning. The recovered body has been kept at the Jang Community Health Center, where a post-mortem will be conducted.
Warnings Already Issued, Yet Risks Taken
Police stated that warning signs have been posted at Sela Lake and other tourist spots, clearly prohibiting walking on frozen lakes. The district administration had issued an advisory for tourists in December, stating that frozen water structures are unsafe during winter.
Sela Lake is Situated at an Altitude of 13,000 Feet
Located at an altitude of approximately 13,000 feet, Sela Lake is stunning in winter, but the ice layer becomes extremely fragile during this time. Even the slightest carelessness can prove fatal, as was evident in this accident.
A video of the rescue operation has surfaced.
Following the accident, a video of the rescue operation has surfaced, showing rescuers searching through difficult conditions in the icy lake. This video is rapidly going viral on social media.