Two Indians killed while trying to save their wives in Oz

Natasha Chaku
Melbourne, Dec 30 (PTI) Two Indians have been killed
while trying to save their wives as they were crossing a
dangerous sandbar from Penguin island in Perth in Australia.
Pavan Ghanasala and Praveen Srikanth, both in their
30s, sacrificed their lives while they were lifting their
wives above the water to help them breathe on Wednesday.
Rangers were in the process of closing access to the
sandbar when the two men drowned, according to media reports
here.
The two died on the shore despite efforts to
resuscitate them after they were swept into deep water off the
popular island.
Ghanasala who was a boilermaker had recently arrived
in Australia with his family. His two young sons, aged seven
and nine, have still not been told of their father's death.
The victims' wives and two other companions, who had
attempted the crossing with them, were rescued and taken to
hospitals in nearby Rockingham and Fremantle.
They had been picnicking on the island with their
children and other family members, who had returned to the
mainland by ferry and watched the tragedy unfold from the
beach.
Department of Environment and Conservation rangers
were in the process of closing public access to the sandbar
when the drownings occurred, DEC district manager Mike Meinema
said.
They have since closed the sandbar to the public for
the rest of the year due to strong afternoon winds forecast
for the period.
Permanent signs warning people of the danger of making
the 750-metre crossing on the sandbar and advising them to
take the ferry were in place on both sides, Meinema said,
adding "People will often ignore that advice."
Meinema said DEC staff were "probably caught off
guard" by very high visitor numbers Wednesday.
The Department would continue to assess the rules for
crossing the bar.
"Obviously we don't want deaths occurring so we'll
look at what we can do," he said.
"It's an impossible thing, pretty much, to police.
Ultimately it comes down to a decision on the individual's
part," he said.
Penguin island is a popular diving, snorkelling,
swimming and picnicking spot and is known for its colony of
Little Penguins.
Rockingham Mayor Barry Sammels fears people will
continue to cross the Penguin Island sandbar that claimed two
lives Wednesday, even if it is permanently closed by
authorities. MORE PTI NC
PBL


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