Dibrugarh: Two tourists from Kerala drowned at the high-altitude Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district on Friday afternoon, officials said. One of the bodies has been recovered, while search operations continue for the second victim.
The deceased have been identified as Dinu (26) and Mahadev (24). They were part of a seven-member group that had travelled to Tawang via Guwahati.
According to police, the incident occurred when one member of the group began drowning while exploring the frozen surface of Sela Lake, located at an elevation of over 13,000 feet. Dinu and Mahadev rushed into the icy waters in an attempt to rescue him. While the third tourist managed to escape, the two were swept under the fragile ice layer and drowned.
Tawang Superintendent of Police DW Thungon said the police received a distress call around 3 pm, following which a joint rescue operation was launched involving the local police, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
Despite extreme weather conditions and challenging terrain, the rescue team managed to recover Dinu’s body on Friday. However, fading daylight and severe cold forced the suspension of the search for Mahadev, the SP said.
The search operation resumed on Saturday morning at 8 am and is continuing. Dinu’s body has been preserved at the Jang Community Health Centre for post-mortem examination.
The SP reiterated that warning signboards have been installed around Sela Lake and other tourist spots clearly prohibiting visitors from venturing onto frozen lake surfaces.
Dear Reader,
Every day, our team at EastMojo travels through rain, rough roads, and remote hills to bring you stories that matter – stories from your town, your people, your Northeast.
We do this because we believe in truthful, independent journalism. No big corporate backing, no government pressure – just honest reporting by local journalists who live and breathe the same air you do.
But to keep doing this work, we need you. Your small contribution helps us pay our reporters fairly, reach places others ignore, and keep asking the tough questions.
If you believe the Northeast deserves its own fearless voice, stand with us.
Support independent journalism. Be a Member.
Thank you,
Karma Paljor
Editor-in-Chief, eastmojo.com
He added that the district administration had issued a tourist advisory on December 17, cautioning against the dangers of frozen lakes and highlighting that ice formations are often unstable and unable to bear weight.
Situated at an altitude of approximately 13,000 feet, Sela Lake attracts tourists throughout the year but becomes particularly hazardous during winter months, when sub-zero temperatures create deceptive ice layers that can collapse without warning.
Also Read | Mizoram simulates major earthquake in statewide drill