Mumbai: 4 boys feared drowned in sea, another rescued; bad weather hampers rescue operations

Four boys, aged between 12 to 16 years, are feared drowned after they ventured into the rough sea at Juhu in Mumbai on Monday while their friend has been rescued, officials said.

The incident occurred at Juhu Koliwada in the western suburbs, where a group of five boys, in the age group of 12 to 16 years, ventured into the sea around 5.30 pm.

A civic official said a Navy chopper was launched at 8.20 pm for a search operation. A defence spokesperson said diving teams are on standby but they are not being deployed now due to adverse sea conditions.

The search was carried out with night searchlights, Manila rope and other equipment but the missing boys were not found.

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The Fire Brigade suspended the search operation due to darkness and bad weather at around 11 pm, the official added.

Authorities have already warned people and fishermen against venturing into the sea because of the rough conditions ahead of the landfall of cyclone 'Biparjoy' on the Gujarat coast on June 15.

Civic authorities had initially received information that six people had entered the Arabian sea at Juhu, but later it was confirmed that the group comprised five boys, the official said. The boys had walked half a kilometre from the seashore when they started drowning, he said.

“One of the boys was rescued by a fisherman before the fire brigade arrived at the scene, while four others are still missing and a search operation is underway for them," the official said.

The fire brigade, police, staff of Mumbai civic body and ambulances have been dispatched to the scene, he said. Fire Brigade personnel are facing difficulty in the search operation because of high tide, the official said, adding that divers from the Navy and Coast Guard have also been requested to join the operation.

He said the boys are residents of Vakola area in suburban Santacruz. The missing boys are identified as Jay Roshan Tajbariya (15), Manish Yogesh Oganiya (12), Shubham Yogesh Oganiya (15) and Dharmesh Valji Faujiya (16), the official said.

The fire brigade has appealed to people to inform them if anybody finds the missing boys.