At least eight students drown at sea in western India

At least eight students died after drowning at sea in India's western state of Maharashtra on Thursday, local media reported. The eight teenagers were part of a private coaching academy from the city of Pune and had travelled for a picnic to Diveagar beach in Raigad district, around 170 kilometres from India's financial capital of Mumbai, news agency ANI and other local media reported. "On visiting the beach, they had ventured into the sea and had misjudged the tides, due to which they drowned," The Indian Express newspaper quoted local police as saying. Read More: Mystery surrounds death of two brothers According to Hindustan Times, the police stated a group of 17 girls and 25 boys with their teachers visited a beach. “The students were swept away as they were unable to judge the depth of the water and current,” said the police. A rescue team with local residents rushed to the incident site and recovered the bodies.