Bengaluru, November 18: In a heartbreaking incident, three engineering students drowned in a swimming pool at a resort near Ullal Beach in Karnataka's Mangaluru on Sunday, November 17. The drowning of the three girl students led to an investigation into the establishment's safety protocols.

According to a report published by the Deccan Herald, the victims, identified as Nishita M D (21), Parvati S (20), and Keerthana N (21), were final-year engineering students from Mysuru. They had arrived at the 'Vazco' resort for a leisure trip on November 16. Bengaluru Shocker: 5-Year-Old Boy Drowns After Falling Into Pit of Under-Construction Building in Kadugodi.

3 BTech Students Drown in Resort Swimming Pool in Mangaluru

According to police reports, the tragedy occurred when Nishita, who could not swim, entered the pool. Parvati attempted to save her, but both struggled to stay afloat. Keerthana then jumped in to assist, but all three women tragically drowned. None of the victims were proficient swimmers, and there was no lifeguard on duty at the time of the incident.

No Lifeguard Present

CCTV footage from the resort showed the women's desperate attempts to save themselves and call for help, but no one was seen responding to their cries. The footage showed that the area around the pool was deserted, raising serious concerns about the resort's emergency response procedures. Karnataka: Four Boys Drown to Death While Swimming in Lake in Hassan District.

'Women Died of Accidental Drowing', Say Police

Mangaluru Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal, who visited the site, confirmed that the woman had died of "accidental drowning." He highlighted significant lapses in the resort's safety measures, including the absence of life-saving equipment, lifeguards, and clear depth markings at the pool. Despite seven employees reportedly being on duty, no staff members responded to the emergency.

In response to the tragedy, authorities have sealed the resort and are taking steps to temporarily suspend its trade license and other tourism-related permits. Ullal police are conducting further investigations into the incident to determine accountability and prevent future safety lapses at such establishments.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 18, 2024 09:17 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).