CHENNAI: Police and rescue personnel have launched a search for two school students who may have drowned at sea off Kasimedu on Monday evening.
Because of the incessant rains on Tuesday and the rough weather, rescue operations were hindered on Tuesday and the boys are yet to be found, as on Tuesday evening.
The missing boys were identified as C Samuel (12) and M Tharun (11), residents of Nagoorar Thottam near Kasimedu. Samuel is a Class 6 student at a government school in their locality, while Tharun, a Class 5 student, is studying in a private school.
“Both are neighbours, and have been friends since childhood,” police said.
Since Monday was a holiday, Samuel and Tharun were playing on the beach near their house when they got washed away.
“They were seated on one of the rocks on the shore when they slipped and fell into the sea. The boys could not swim back to the rocks and the fishermen who noticed the boys screaming for help tried to pull them out, but could not reach them,” a police officer said.
Local police and personnel from the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services (TNFRS) reached the scene and searched for them, but had to call off the search due to the weather conditions.
Fishing Harbour police have registered a case and have alerted the police stations with coastlines in their jurisdiction to alert them if their bodies are washed ashore.