While four of their peers perished at sea, two schoolboys from Madurai were saved by fishermen in Tuticorin on Friday. The survivors — G.Balaji of Alagappanagar, a Class X student, and S.Balamurugan of Harveypatti, a Plus Two student — have been admitted to the Tuticorin Medical College Hospital.
Sailas Jeyamani, Resident Medical Officer, said the condition of the boys was stable.
Responding to a call from the Fire and Rescue Services personnel at around 12.15 p.m., a team of fishermen from Tsunami Nagar in Tuticorin rushed to the harbour beach and retrieved three bodies from the sea within minutes.
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Another body was recovered around 5.40 p.m., M.Mariappan, who was involved in the rescue operation, told
Mr. Mariappan said all the boys could have been rescued if more fishermen had been present. Since weather conditions were not favourable for sailing, most fishermen had anchored their boats and catamarans and gone home.
The boys were said to be swimming in the vicinity of the anchored boats when they were caught in strong currents.
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Sources quoting eyewitnesses said the boys had run towards the water immediately after alighting from the bus in which they had travelled from Madurai.