Two professional Kayakers from Bengaluru drowned during a practice session in the Kadanthara river in Kozhikode district, Kerala, on Sunday.
The victims, identified as Naveen Shetty and Elvin Konan, had participated in international Kayaking events in the area. They were part of a five-member Kayaking team that had arrived at the spot in the morning. Police stated that the incident occurred due to an unexpected increase in water level that led to a loss of control, making their kayaks collide with rocks in the river.
According to The Times of India, the incident occurred at around 1 pm when the team was practising for next year's International Kayaking Championship. The other three members of the team managed to escape.
Villagers helped take the victims to the nearby Kuttiyadi government hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival. According to The Hindu, the police and the Fire and Rescue services were alerted but arrived at the location much later.
Residents who participated in the rescue operation told reporters that emergency provisions such as ambulances and rescue equipment should be kept near the site.
According to the residents, this was the second such incident in the area in two years.
