Varkala: An 18-year-old student, Ashwin, went missing while bathing in the sea at Varkala. The incident unfolded at Varkala beach amid low tide around 6 pm on Friday.

Ashwin, after enjoying a game of football with friends on the beach, entered the sea for a bath, and was caught by a huge wave. As his friends raised an alarm, locals rushed to search for Ashwin but were unable to find him.

Efforts to locate Ashwin intensified with the arrival of coastal police, lifeguards, tourism police, and the fire force. Despite extensive search operations spanning into the night, Ashwin could not be found.

Ashwin is a plus two student at BPM Model School in Perettil, Varkala. His parents are Sunil and Maya.