Two tourists from Kerala tragically lost their lives at Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district on Friday after slipping into the frozen waters while attempting a rescue. The incident occurred in the afternoon when a member of their seven-person tourist group lost balance and fell into the icy lake. Seeing him in danger, Dinu (26) and Mahadev (24) immediately jumped in to help, but while the original tourist managed to escape safely, both Dinu and Mahadev were swept under the ice.

Rescue operations were promptly launched after the district administration was informed around 3 pm. A joint effort involving the district police, central forces, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) managed to recover the body of Dinu, which has been taken to Jang Community Health Centre for a post-mortem examination scheduled on Saturday. Search operations for Mahadev were suspended due to darkness, poor visibility, and extreme weather conditions, and authorities plan to resume them at first light.

The Tawang district administration highlighted that Sela Lake, situated at an altitude of over 13,000 feet, is a popular tourist destination but extremely dangerous during winter due to unstable ice cover. Warning signboards have been installed at the lake and other tourist spots to caution visitors against walking on frozen water bodies. Officials also noted that a prior advisory issued in December had already cautioned tourists about the risks posed by frozen lakes, emphasizing that the ice may not support human weight.

This incident has drawn attention to the hazards of high-altitude winter tourism, with authorities urging visitors to exercise extreme caution and avoid venturing onto frozen lakes, regardless of the scenic beauty. Families of the victims, as well as the local community, are grappling with the shock of the accident, while search teams continue their efforts to locate the missing tourist.