20 students drown, as many feared missing

Kochi, Feb 20 (UNI) Twenty students on an excursion drowned and an equal number were feared missing when the boat in which they were travelling capsized at Ovungal Kadavu in the Periyar River today.

According to the District Collector, there were 50 students in the boat when the mishap occurred. Ten students were rescued by Naval swimmers. Rescue operations were on in full swing to trace the missing students, the sources said.

In all, 103 members, including ten teachers from St Antony's School, Elavoor, near Angamali, left in two boats to the Thattekkadu Bird Sanctuary when one of them capsized in the catchment area of the sanctuary, he said.

A search was on for the missing victims.

UNI