the goan I network
MAPUSA
A tourist drowned off Baga beach even as lifeguards employed with Drishti Lifesaving Pvt Ltd boycotted work for the third day running on Saturday.
Calangute Police informed that Sudip Ramesh (30) of Hubli died of drowning after he along with a friend went out for a swim in the sea at Baga.
According to Drishti, two male tourists who had ventured into the waters were caught in a rip current and dragged into the sea.
“A lifeguard present on the shore rushed into the waters and along with a water sports employee brought the struggling tourists to shore,” a Drishti press note said.
One of the tourists who was unconscious was given CPR and other medical treatment and rushed to the Candolim PHC before being shifted to North Goa District Hospital, Mapusa where he was declared brought dead.
Police said the deceased along with his wife and 13 colleagues after checking into a hotel on Saturday went to the beach for a swim at noon.
They were employed with a software company in Hubli, Karnataka, Police informed.
Meanwhile, most of the lifeguards employed with Drishti stayed off work on most of the beaches in North Goa on Saturday for the third day.
The lifeguards will continue with the strike until their salaries are paid by the company.
“We will not join work till our salary and other dues are paid. The company has said they will pay the salaries and arrears on Monday. So we will wait and watch. In the past, such promises were made only to be reneged later,” a lifeguard said, requesting anonymity.
Drishit on Friday had said that arrears of all lifeguards present on duty on Thursday will be paid on Friday and arrears of lifeguards present on Friday will be paid by the coming Monday. It also said bonus will be declared at Diwali and will be paid in November to employees who join duty.
Drishti Lifesaving in a statement said 32 rescues were carried out in the last 72 hours from different beaches in the State. “A double rescue in Baga involving two male tourists from Telangana, a triple rescue in Candolim where three males all aged 23 from Delhi were rescued and a quadruple rescue in Calangute involving all males were carried out on Saturday,” the statement said.
Lifeguards employed with Drishti Lifesaving Pvt Ltd had gone on a flash strike on Thursday morning for non-payment of salaries.
The aggrieved lifeguards had said they were ready to resign from the company if they were not paid on time and provided proper facilities.
