Three tourists die, two missing at Himchari beach

Three tourists died after being swept away by a large wave and strong currents while bathing at Himchari beach in Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday afternoon. 

One person was rescued alive, while two others remained missing.

The incident occurred around 4:30pm at the beach adjacent to the Marina Resort museum along Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf Marine Drive. 

Fire Service personnel, lifeguards and beach workers searched for the missing tourists until 7:30pm but failed to locate them.

According to police and lifeguard sources, a group of 12 tourists from Dhaka visited Himchari beach. Five of them went into the sea to bathe when a large wave swept them away.

Lifeguards and local people later rescued three of them, but they died by then. 

The deceased were identified as Md Borhan, 23, Saiful Islam, 23, and Nafisul Haque, 22, all from Diabari in Uttara, Dhaka. 

The bodies were taken to the Cox’s Bazar General Hospital morgue that night.

Ramu Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Jillur Rahaman confirmed the incident and news of the deaths.

Imtiaz Ahmed, regional director of private lifeguard service provider Sea-Safe, said the organisation has 27 lifeguards responsible for rescue operations along an approximately five-kilometre stretch of Cox’s Bazar beach, from Kalatoli to Laboni Point.

Imtiaz Ahmed said Sea-Safe had 27 lifeguards responsible for rescue operations along an approximately five-kilometre stretch of Cox’s Bazar beach, from Kalatoli to Laboni Point, where people who go missing while bathing can be rescued.

However, the number of lifeguards was insufficient to cover the vast coastal stretch extending from Kalatoli through Dariyanagar, Himchari, Patuartek and Inani to Teknaf, he said.

He further said more than 300,000 tourists have gathered in Cox’s Bazar. A large crowd attended the idol immersion festival at Laboni Point on Wednesday afternoon.

Seeing crowds at various points along the beach, many people headed towards Dariyanagar and Himchari beaches to bathe in the sea, increasing the risk of accidents, he added.

On 27 September, a tourist died after being swept away by the sea at Laboni Point.