Kerala youth drowns in Sela Lake in Arunachal, another body recovered

Guwahati: The second tourist who went missing after falling into Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district was recovered on Saturday, January 17, a day after two young men from Kerala lost their lives, officials said.

Rescue operations resumed early Sunday morning with a joint team comprising the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) from Bomdila, the Army, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and local police.

Four divers were deployed, but poor visibility beneath the icy lake initially slowed the search. The body was eventually located and recovered.

The incident occurred on Friday, January 16, when a group of seven tourists approached the partially frozen lake.

One member accidentally fell into the water, prompting two others, identified as Dinu (26) and Mahadev (24), to jump in to rescue him. While the first tourist managed to get out safely, Dinu and Mahadev were dragged under the ice.

Authorities received the alert around 3 pm and immediately launched rescue efforts. Dinu’s body was recovered the same day despite freezing temperatures and challenging conditions.

The search for Mahadev was postponed overnight and resumed the following morning, leading to his recovery on Saturday.

Both bodies were transported to Jang Community Health Centre, where post-mortem examinations are currently underway.

Superintendent of Police D W Thongon said warning boards have been placed around Sela Lake and other nearby tourist spots, cautioning visitors against walking on frozen water bodies.

He also noted that the district administration had issued safety advisories in December, warning that ice on high-altitude lakes can be unstable and dangerous.