Kolkata: Caught in squall, 2 teen rowers drown in Lake – Times of India

KOLKATA: Two class IX and X students of South Point School, who had qualified for the inter-school regatta scheduled on Sunday, drowned during a practice session at Rabindra Sarobar when their boat capsized after being caught in the nor’wester on Saturday evening. Their bodies were recovered by rescue divers nearly three hours later.
Police said Pushan Sadhukhan (14) and Souryadeep Chatterjee (14) — trainees at Lake Club — were rowing with three other teenagers when their boat was caught in the squall around 4.30 pm and capsized, plunging the youths into the water. Among the five in the boat, one was a cox and the rest were rowers. The two were rowers, at the oars. While three of them swam ashore, Sadhukhan and Chatterjee went missing. Though the duo also knew to swim, rescuers fear they may have panicked in the trying conditions.
Club authorities said three-four other rowing boats capsized but their rowers swam back to safety.
A large team of the Disaster Management Group of Kolkata Police scanned the water for several hours before they managed to drag Sadhukhan out of the water around 7.30pm, while Chatterjee was found 20 minutes later. Both were taken to SSKM.
“When the rowers started training, the weather was fine. The squall struck while they were returning to shore and at least 6-7 boats capsized at the same time. While some swam ashore by themselves, others were saved by rescue boats. When we brought all of them to the club we realised two of them were missing and we instantly resumed a search. Cops joined us soon but it was only after three hours that we could spot them,” said Lake Club joint secretary Debu Datta. CCTV footage showed the water had turned choppy when the rowing boats capsized. The rescue operations by the club was severely hampered in the weather.
Mayor Firhad Hakim visited the club and said rescue boats should have been pressed into service faster. “Previously, there used to be a diesel speedboat that could be used in emergencies. It was withdrawn after environmentalists objected to it. But I think it could have saved the two,” said Hakim.
South Point principal RS Bhattacharjee also raised the issue. “We appeal to authorities to review safety standards for rowers. Pushan (Class IX) and Souryadeep (Class X) were excellent swimmers and were training well for the school rowing team,” she said.
While Sadhukhan — son of Sealdah traffic guard OC Piyush Sadhukhan — was a resident of Santoshpur, Chatterjee lived at Raja Basanta Roy Road. “They were trained swimmers. I have been involved with the club for 52 years and this is the first time something like this has happened,” said Datta.