Chennai, May 6 (IANS): Five house surgeons of a private medical college in Tiruchi drowned near Lemur Beach in Kanniyakumari due to a swell surge in the sea on Monday.

The police said that a team of 12 house surgeons from the college had gone to Nagercoil to attend a wedding. After attending the wedding ceremony, they went to Lemur Beach, which falls under the Rajakkalmangalam police station limits in Kanyakumari district.

While seven of the house surgeons were standing near the shoreline, the others were sitting a little distance away from the sea which was rough.

A giant wave swept those standing by the sea away, as the others raised an alarm and called for help.

The local fishermen rescued two medicos -- S. Neshi (24) and R. Preethi Priyanka (23) -- who have been admitted to the Kanyakumari Government Medical College.

The deceased have been identified as P. Sarvadharshith (23), M. Praveen Sam (23), B. Gayathri (25), D. Charukavi (23), and Venkatesh (24).

To recall, the National Disaster Management and Research Centre issued a ‘Red Alert’ warning on Saturday.

It had forecast that the sea would be unusually rough for three to four days in Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari districts, advising people not to venture into the sea.