New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said the Indian consulate in St Petersburg remains in contact with the university and local authorities and is providing all possible assistance in the repatriation of the mortal remains of four Indian students, who met with a watery grave in a river near St Petersburg in Russia.
"Four Indian students, who were studying at the Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University located in Veliky Novgorod, Russia, drowned in an unfortunate incident in the Volkhov River. In the incident, a fifth Indian student was saved from drowning and is presently receiving medical attention", the MEA said in a statement on Friday.
According to sources, a female Indian student, who sloped out from the beach on the river Volkhov, got into trouble and four of her companions tried to save her. In an attempt to save her, three others also drowned in the river. A third boy was pulled to safety by locals.
MEA further said, "Our Consulate in St Petersburg remains in contact with the university and local authorities and is providing all possible assistance. Local emergency services have so far recovered two bodies from the Volkhov River. We offer our condolences to the families. The search for the remaining two missing students continues. The five students involved in the accident belong to the Jalgaon district of Maharashtra".
"The Indian Consulate in St Petersburg is coordinating with local authorities for the repatriation of the mortal remains. The Consulate continues to be in contact with the families and the district administration in Jalgaon, Maharashtra," the External Affairs Ministry said.
Earlier, the Embassy of India in Moscow in a post on X said, "We are working to send the bodies to their families as soon as possible . Proper treatment is also being provided to the student whose life has been saved".
Read more: Four Indian Medical Students Drown In Russia
