Avoid swimming in rough sea: Drishti

VASCO, MAY 31
The Drishti Special Response Service (DSRS) has urged people to avoid swimming in the rough sea and to pay heed to requests of its lifeguards.
Citing the instance of the two youth, Nitesh Salaskar (23) and Ilyhas Ahmed Khatib (19), both from Upasnagar-Sancoale, who drowned off Velsao beach on Sunday, a DSRS official said the two youth had ventured into the ‘non-swimming zone’ and had ignored warnings by the lifeguard on duty.
According to the DSRS official, the two youth had also consumed alcohol when they went to swim in the ‘non-swimming zone’.
“Despite repeated requests from our lifeguard, Antony Soares, not to swim in deep waters, they ignored the instructions and continued to swim in neck deep water,” said DSRS officials.
“Lifeguard Soares noticed both the youth in trouble and being pulled by underwater currents. He relayed the emergency on radio and rushed towards the victims with the rescue board,” said the officials.
“In the meantime, the Arrosim lifeguard tower received an emergency message and supervisor Gulabal rushed to the site with the jeep,” added the officials.
The lifeguard secured one victim and brought him to the shore and immediately summoned two jet-skis from Arrosim and Velsao, but by that time the other victim was not to be sighted.
“After intense search operation by lifeguards, they secured the body of the victim,” said the officials.
With Constant Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), both were rushed to Hospicio in Margao, but doctors at the hospital decaled them brought-in declared dead.
Meanwhile, Verna police after conducting autopsy has handed over the bodies to their family members.