CHENNAI: Two youth who had come for the annual festival at the Annai Velankanni Church in Besant Nagar went missing after being swept away by the sea while bathing on Tuesday morning.

The annual festival of the Annai Velankanni Matha Church is being celebrated in Besant Nagar, with the main chariot procession held on Monday. Thousands of devotees from Chennai and surrounding areas had gathered to witness the chariot festival.

Among them were Tamilselvan (22) and Manipalan (27) of Pudupet. After the procession ended late at night, the duo slept on the Elliot's Beach. On Tuesday morning, they entered the sea for a swim.

While bathing, Tamilselvan was suddenly dragged into the sea by a giant wave. Seeing this, Manipalan tried to rescue him, but he too was pulled in by the waves, said the police.

Personnel from Shastri Nagar police station, fire and rescue services, and the Coastal Security Group searched for the missing youth and have alerted police stations along the coast.