WASHINGTON, Dec 28: In a tragic incident, three Indian-Americans, including a couple, have drowned after they fell through the ice while walking on a frozen lake to get some pictures.
The incident occurred on December 26 at 3:35 PM at Woods Canyon Lake in Coconino County in the US state of Arizona.
“The missing men are located deceased and identified as Narayana Muddana, 49 and Gokul Mediseti, 47. The female victim has been identified as Haritha Muddana (age unknown). The three victims resided in Chandler, Arizona and are originally from India,” Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) said in a statement on Tuesday.
Chandler is a suburb of Phoenix.
A day after Christmas, three families – comprised of six adults and five kids – drove up from the Valley to enjoy the snowy outdoors.
“(They) Wanted to get some pictures out on the ice,” said Jon Paxton with the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.
During the photograph out on the ice, three persons fell through and into the minus 30-degree water.
“Hypothermia sets in very quickly at that point,” said Paxton. “And if you’re not a swimmer it’s that much more difficult.”
Two kids and a woman tried to rescue their loved ones. But they fell into the water themselves and barely made it to the shore, ABC15 reported, quoting fire-fighters.
One father and both parents of two little girls had died.
Officials said they were able to pull Haritha from the water soon after and administered life-saving measures but were unsuccessful and she died at the scene, it said.
Crews then began searching for Narayana and Mediseti, who had also fallen into the lake. The two men were found dead on Tuesday afternoon, the sheriff’s office said.
All the three bodies have been recovered.
According to a statement released by officials with CCSO, “deputies stationed at a substation in the area were called to the lake after two men and a woman were walking on the frozen lake and fell through the ice.”
A neighbour and close friend is looking after the children of Narayana and Haritha.
“I was literally shocked and shaken. I [wasn’t] able to speak,” Kishore Pittala was quoted as saying by Fox10.
Two daughters are left behind, ages 7 and 12. Pittala is looking after them until their grandparents can fly over from India.
Woods Canyon Lake is located east of Payson in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. It is an area popular among hikers, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts.
More than one million Americans and Canadians are facing problems as a massive winter storm continues to pummel North America.
A bomb cyclone, when atmospheric pressure plummets, has brought snow, strong winds and freezing temperatures. Nearly 250 million are affected, and at least 19 deaths have been linked to the storm that extends more than 3,200km from Quebec to Texas. (PTI)
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