The famous Ganpatipule templeand the adjoining beach are popular among tourists. During weekends locals andtourists who visit the temple flock to the beach for some fun and frolic. Butthis Saturday, the beach turned into a death trap when seven persons weresucked in by a ripple current into the sea.
Tragically, despite thepresence of lifeguards on the beach there has been a drastic increase indrowning cases on Ganpatipule beach. In the past six months, over 50 touristshave lost their lives in Ganpatipule.
A visit to Ganpatipule templeand beach turned into a tragic incident for eleven tourists from Panvel,Solapur and Thane as seven of them drowned in the sea after they got caughtwith the current on Saturday.
Ganpatipule is a renownedtourist destination in Ratnagiri which is around 30kms away from the district.Ganpatipule is famous for the temple where large number of tourists flocks into offer prayers to Lord Ganesh. After offering prayers they go to the beachfor a dip.
The Ganpatipule beach isknown for its unusual currents, which acts as a death trap for tourists whoventure into the sea for a swim.
The group of 11 tourists who visitedGanpatipule temple on Saturday, later in the evening ventured into the sea.
All of them were having funin the sea when suddenly a current pulled some of them deep into the sea. Asthey cried for help lifeguards and temple volunteers got into the rescue act. Out of 11, the lifeguards and temple volunteers managed to save four. Laterfive bodies were recovered from the beach area late in the night. On Mondaymorning the remaining two bodies were also recovered.
