Teenager drowns, another rescued in separate incidents

August 22, 2012

Bhatkal/Mangalore, August 22: A 16-year-old boy drowned in the Arabian Sea at Murudeshwar in Bhatkal taluk on Tuesday.

He was identified as Mohammad Suhail (16) of Sagar in Shimoga district. He had come to Murudeshwar with his 12 friends and went to the sea for a swim. The body is yet to be recovered.

In a separate inciden, lifeguards of Panambur Beach Tourism Development Project (PBTDP) rescued a youth from drowning on Tuesday. The survivor has been identified as Ansar (21), a resident of Mallur Badriyanagar post, Neerumarga.

Part of a group of revellers who had come to Panambur beach, Ansar consistently ignored warnings of lifeguards while frolicking in the water and was sucked away by a rip current even before he could react.

Lifeguards who spotted Ansar flailing in the sea immediately dived in after him and brought him ashore. "Ansar is fine," said Yathish Bykampady, CEO of PBTDP.

Ansar was part of a group that had come from Neermarga area on the outskirts of the city.

The group was not paying heed to warnings from the lifeguards about rip currents in the area and Ansar almost paid for it with his life but for their timely intervention, Yathish said.

The lifeguards obtained a statement from Ansar and informed the Panambur police about the incident. Yathish said such incidents are now commonplace.

"On many occasions, people, especially youth whom we have saved from drowning at the beach have gone back home and claimed they have never gone to the beach," he said.

On July 14, the lifeguards had rescued Shwetha, a girl from Bangalore, from drowning.

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Demand for Mangaluru-Singapore direct flight gains momentum

News Network

September 13,2024

NRI professionals hailing from the coastal and Malnad regions of Karnataka, now based in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Australia, have been urging the Indian government and airlines to introduce a direct flight between Mangalore International Airport (MIA) and Singapore’s Changi Airport.

These professionals argue that Singapore’s strategic location as a hub connecting India with East Asia makes this flight essential. They highlight that this route would serve over 12 million people from the coastal and hill regions of southern India, fostering stronger ties with East Asian economies.

The group, consisting of individuals from Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Shivamogga, and Hassan, is spearheaded by Rajesh H Acharya, director of HQ Connections Pte Ltd, Singapore, and coordinator of the Singapore Tuluver community. Acharya emphasized the significance of the Indian government’s Act East policy, which aims to strengthen relationships between India and ASEAN, East Asia, and the Asia-Pacific region.

“This flight will open new doors for cultural, trade, tourism, and technological exchanges between these regions,” Acharya said.

The Mangalore Chapter of IndUS Entrepreneurs (TiE) has also proposed positioning the region as the 'Silicon Beach of India.' A direct flight would provide greater opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors from both Singapore and Mangaluru, boosting business exchanges.

Moreover, Singapore’s Changi Airport could see increased tourism from the Karnataka coast, while Coastal Karnataka would benefit from a surge in visitors from ASEAN countries, the Far East, Australia, New Zealand, and the US West Coast.

While a similar attempt in 2017 did not succeed, Acharya and his team are hopeful that this time their appeal will be taken seriously, tapping into the immense growth potential of the eastern half of the globe.

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