Second body recovered after Kerala tourists drown in Arunachal's Sela Lake

The body of the second tourist who drowned in Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district has been recovered, state government sources said on January 17, a day after the incident claimed the lives of two youths from Kerala.

A joint search operation resumed at around 8 am, involving teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Bomdila, the Army, SSB, ITBP, and the district police. 

Four divers from the SDRF and the Army were deployed for the operation. Officials said poor underwater visibility initially hampered the search, but the body was later located and recovered. Both victims were confirmed to be from Kerala.

Earlier, police had said that the incident occurred on January 16 when a seven-member tourist group visiting Sela Lake ventured close to the frozen water body. 

According to Superintendent of Police D W Thongon, one member of the group accidentally slipped into the lake and began to drown. 

Two others, identified as Dinu (26) and Mahadev (24), entered the icy water in an attempt to rescue him. While the third tourist managed to come out safely, Dinu and Mahadev were swept under the frozen surface.

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The district administration received information about the incident around 3 pm on Friday, following which a joint rescue operation was launched. 

Despite extreme cold, harsh weather conditions, and low visibility, rescuers managed to recover Dinu’s body the same day. 

The search for Mahadev was suspended after nightfall and resumed the next morning, i,e January 17.

The bodies have been kept at the Jang Community Health Centre, where post-mortem examinations are being conducted.

The SP said warning signboards have been installed at Sela Lake and other tourist locations, clearly advising visitors not to walk on frozen water bodies. He added that the district administration had issued an advisory in December cautioning tourists that frozen lakes are unsafe, as the ice may be unstable and incapable of supporting human weight.

Situated at an altitude of over 13,000 feet, Sela Lake remains a major tourist attraction but poses serious risks during winter due to extreme cold and fragile ice cover.