Rescue operations continued in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district

Amaravati, Dec 17 (IANS) Rescue operations continued in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district where five students went missing on Friday while taking a bath in the Krishna river.

Officials said on Saturday that two bodies were recovered while search was continuing for three others.

Personnel of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) with the assistance of fishermen and divers were carrying out search operations.

A group of students from Vijayawada and aged between 13 and 17 had gone to the river near Yenamalakuduru for taking bath. Initially taking bath on the banks, they entered into the deep water and started drowning.

One of the students sitting near the river cried for help. Some fishermen rushed to the rescue and pulled out one of the boys safely while another managed to swim to safety.

Alerted by the locals, police rushed to the area and with the help of revenue and other departments launched a rescue operation. Later, NDRF personnel also joined.

Bodies of E. Gunasekhar (14) and T. Kamesh (15), students of 9th and 10th classes respectively, were recovered late Friday. The rescue operation resumed Saturday morning to trace remaining boys. M. Balu, a student of intermediate second year, Shaikh Hussain of 9th class and Shaikh Baji of 8th class were still missing.

According to police, the students from different schools and a couple of drop-outs who were all friends had together gone to the river to take bath.