A Correspondent
Itanagar, Jan 16: A tragic incident occurred at Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district on Friday afternoon, claiming the lives of two tourists from Kerala after the frozen surface of the lake beneath them collapsed.
The victims were identified as Dinu and Mahadev, both below 30 years of age. They were part of a group of tourists travelling towards Tawang.
Due to extreme cold conditions, a thick layer of ice had formed over the lake. While moving close to the lake, three members of the group stepped onto the frozen surface, which suddenly cracked and gave way, plunging them into the icy water.
One of the tourists was immediately rescued with the assistance of Indian Army personnel stationed nearby, with help from other visitors present at the site.
Seven tourists were travelling together at the time of the mishap.
Rescue teams later recovered the body of Dinu. However, the search operation for Mahadev had to be suspended in the evening due to poor visibility, harsh weather conditions, and fading daylight. Officials said that search efforts would resume the next day.
Authorities have urged tourists to exercise extreme caution near frozen water bodies and to follow safety advisories while travelling in high-altitude areas.