KOCHI: In a tragic incident, three students, including siblings, drowned after a boat capsized in the Kochi lake near Thevara on Monday. The deceased have been identified as Ashna (22) and Adil (18), children of Nettoor native Nawaz and Abin Paul (20), son of Konthuruthy native Paul. Abin's friend Praveen (22) swam to safety. The tragic incident took place at around 5 pm.

Ashna and Adil used to make and sell cakes at home. The accident took place while they were taking a cake from Nettoor to Abin's house for a birthday celebration. According to sources, Abin and Praveen came from Konthuruthy in a fibre boat and invited the siblings to attend the birthday celebrations. The four were on their way to Konthuruthy when the boat capsized before it reached the deepest part of National Waterway-3, where the barges were going to the industrial area. Nettoor native Paulose was the first to come to the rescue when he heard the cries of the students. It was Paulose who rescued Praveen. However, the other three had drowned by then.

Police and diving experts rushed to the spot soon after learning of the accident. All the four ambulances of Maradu municipality came to the rescue. After one and a half hours, Ashna's body was found. The bodies of the other two were later recovered.

The bodies have been shifted to the Ernakulam General Hospital mortuary. They will be handed over to the relatives on Tuesday after the postmortem. Ashna is a B.Ed student of Perumbavoor National College. Adil is a Plus Two student in Tripunithura Government School. Abin is a first year BA English student of St. Paul's College, Kalamassery.