Chennai: In a tragic incident, five college students from Andhra Pradesh, who were on a tour to the heritage site of Mamallapuram about 55 km from here, were dragged into the sea by huge tidal waves while having a bath of which one body was washed ashore and the other four were feared drowned.
The incident occurred on Saturday evening, police said, adding, a search was on to trace the missing students after the body of one of five students was washed ashore.
The four missing students were feared dead after they were drowned in the Bay of Bengal in Mamallapuram where they were taking bath during a trip to this heritage site.
Police sources said a group of 40 students from two Arts colleges from Anantapur and Chittoor districts in Andhra Pradesh, came in a bus to Mamallapuram to visit the heritage sites.
After visiting the sites, they reached the seashore and over 20 of them stepped into the water.
While they were playing and bathing in the water, rough waves dragged five of them deep into the sea.
On hearing screams from the panic stricken students, local vendors on the beach and fishermen rushed to the spot and rescued five of them.
While five others struggled deep inside, the body of one Vijay (18), was washed ashore in the evening.
The fate of other four students Pethuraj (26) Seshareddy (25) of Anantapur and Manish (19) and Barthuza (19) of Chittoor, were not known and were reported missing.
Fire and Rescue Services personnel continued their search using boats and deploying scuba divers till late evening.
Further search operations commenced on Sunday morning to trace them.