Four Indian medical students drowned in a river near St. Petersburg in Russia while a fifth was saved and is currently receiving medical attention, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.
“Our Consulate in St. Petersburg remains in contact with the university and local authorities and is providing all possible assistance,” the ministry added in its statement.
Local emergency services have so far recovered two bodies from the Volkhov river, it said, adding that the Indian consulate in St Petersburg is coordinating with local authorities for the repatriation of the mortal remains.
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“We offer our condolences to the families. The search for the remaining two missing students continues, the MEA said.
All five students involved in the accident were studying at the Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University located in Veliky Novgorod, Russia.
The Indian Embassy has assured that the authorities are working to send the bodies to the relatives as soon as possible. “We are working to send the bodies to the relatives as soon as possible. Proper treatment is also being provided to the student whose life has been saved,” the Indian Embassy in Moscow said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Russia issued an advisory on Friday, urging students to be extremely careful while going to water bodies.
“Unfortunate incidents of drowning of Indian students in Russia are taking place from time to time. In such incidents this year so far four Indian students have lost their lives,” it said.
The Embassy also disclosed some past figures. “In the year 2023 there were two incidents and in 2022, there were six cases of death of Indian students by drowning.”
The Embassy, therefore, urged “Indian students in Russia to be extremely careful while going to beaches, rivers, lakes, ponds and other water bodies. Students are advised to take all necessary precautions and safety measures in this regard”.