A 13-year-old boy from Tamil Nadu drowned in a canal in Morbi district on Thursday, while his elder brother, who accompanied him into the water, remains missing, officials confirmed.
Incident Details
The incident occurred around 11:28 am at the Dhrangadhra–Morbi branch canal. The boys, aged 13 and 15, were traveling with their truck driver father from Tamil Nadu to Gujarat during their vacation. The father had transported a load of powder from Karnataka and unloaded it at Halvad. He was then heading towards Morbi with his two sons in an empty truck to load tiles.
How It Happened
Near Morbi Chowkdi, the family halted along the canal. The boys reportedly went towards the canal on the pretext of answering nature's call. However, in their father's absence, they entered the water—reportedly to bathe—and were swept away by the strong current.
Search and Rescue Operation
Fire teams from Morbi and Halvad launched an immediate search operation. The body of the younger boy, identified as Sitesh Shivkumar (13), was recovered. Efforts are ongoing to trace his elder brother, Subhash (15), said Morbi chief fire officer Jayesh Daki. Local residents also joined the rescue efforts after being alerted to the incident.
The tragic event has left the family devastated, as they were simply passing through during their vacation. Authorities continue to search for the missing teenager.
