Five tourists drowned this morning at Ganpatipule beach in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. The victims were part of a 19-member excursion group from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. According to reports, some members of the group entered the sea for a swim but were swept away after misjudging the depth of the water and the strength of the waves. A search operation is underway. Police personnel, district administration officials and lifeguards are conducting searches using boats. However, strong sea currents are hampering rescue and recovery efforts.
