Lucknow, Oct. 6 -- A day out turned tragic for seven young friends in Itaunja on Tuesday when they were swept away by a strong current of floodwater while returning from the fields, leaving one dead and six others fighting their way to safety.

The seven, aged between 18 and 20 and residents of Lasa village, had gone out to defecate and were cleaning themselves when the current swept them away, SHO Sobran Singh said.

"One of the youths lost his slipper in the floodwater and tried to retrieve it when the strong current swept him away. The others tried to help him and were also pulled into the water, but six managed to swim out to safety. One of them was swept away by the current," Singh said.

The deceased was identified as Vimal Kumar, 1...