Guwahati: Two tourists from Kerala drowned at Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district on Friday.
Authorities have recovered one body, while the other tourist is still missing.
The deceased is 26-year-old Dinu. The missing tourist, 24-year-old Mahadev, was part of the same seven-member group that traveled to Tawang from Guwahati, according to Superintendent of Police D W Thongon.
The incident occurred when one tourist slipped into the ice-covered lake. Dinu and Mahadev entered the water to help him. The first tourist managed to get out safely, but the other two were pulled under the ice.
The district administration was notified around 3 pm, and a joint rescue operation was launched involving local police, central forces, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). One body was recovered despite poor weather and low visibility.
The search for the missing tourist was paused for the night and will resume on Saturday.
The recovered body has been taken to the Jang Community Health Centre for a post-mortem examination.
Authorities said warning signs are placed at Sela Lake and other tourist sites, advising visitors not to walk on frozen surfaces.
A December advisory had also warned that ice at high-altitude lakes may not be stable or safe.