4 Indian students drown in river near St. Petersburg, Russia, 1 rescued

Four Indian students drowned in a river near St. Petersburg in Russia, officials said Friday, with authorities recovering one body and searching for the other three, officials said.

A student, who also fell into the river, was rescued and is receiving medical treatment. Jalgaon district collector Ayush Prasad confirmed the deaths to news agency ANI.

The Indian Embassy in Russia and the consulate in St. Petersburg are working with local authorities to recover the bodies and repatriate them to India as soon as possible.

“We are working to send the bodies to the next of kin as quickly as possible,” the Indian embassy said in a statement. “Proper treatment is also provided to the student whose life was saved.”

The St. Petersburg consulate said it was working with authorities in Veliky Novgorod, where the students were studying medicine at Veliky Novgorod State University.

“The bereaved families have been contacted and assured of all possible help,” the Consulate said. “Appropriate medical treatment, including psychological treatment, is being provided to the rescued student.”

Authorities have not yet released details on the cause of the drowning or the identity of the victims.