India, Oct. 2 -- Eight 16-year-old students of a Pune-based private college drowned at Diveagar beach in Raigad district on Thursday while on an educational trip, raising questions over safety arrangements during the excursion.

The incident occurred around 5.30pm when some students ventured into a restricted portion of the sea and eight of them were swept away as they reportedly failed to gauge the depth and strength of sea currents. Their classmates and teachers raised an alarm, following which local residents and water sports operators launched a rescue operation.

The eight students whose bodies were recovered were Tanmay Dattatray Vahile, Sumeet Bharat Ahire, Pranav Ramdas Bansode, Kaiwalya Satish Wasankar, Rajveer Yuvraj Vahile, Yas...