Bhubaneswar: Two tourists from Chhattisgarh were rescued while being swept away by a rip current while bathing in the Bay of Bengal in Puri on Wednesday afternoon. The incident occurred in Sector 7 of the beach, opposite Renuka Lane in the town.
Fortunately, lifeguards G. Manickam and P. Govinda sprang into action, venturing into the deep sea to rescue the struggling tourists, identified as Shubham Subash and Bale Patel of Chhattisgarh’s Bira area.
After being pulled to safety, Shubham and Bale received first aid for any injuries sustained during the ordeal. Expressing gratitude for their rescue, they thanked the lifeguards for saving their lives and urged beachgoers to exercise caution while bathing in the sea. They emphasised the importance of following lifeguards’ advice to avoid such incidents.
With thousands visiting Puri’s beaches daily, the district administration has been working to enhance safety measures, including deploying 92 lifeguards along the 7-km stretch from Penthakota to Baliapanda.
In recent times, Puri has witnessed several drowning incidents, resulting in several casualties. The district administration has installed red flags and warning signs at vulnerable stretches and is providing training to lifeguards on rescue drills.
