Kasaragod: The bodies of two youngsters from Kottayam, who were swept away by the sea off Pallikkara beach near Bekal on Sunday evening, were recovered on Monday after a search operation that lasted nearly 20 hours, police said.

The body of Appu T Abraham (20) was found near the Chittari estuary, about 6 km south of the spot where the two went missing. The body of Ankith (20) was recovered shortly afterwards at Muttumthala beach, around 300 metres further south near Kanhangad.

Ankith was the son of Balu of Vazhappally near Cheeramchira in Changanassery, while Appu was the son of Abraham of Pathamuttam in Chingavanam. The two were believed to have been caught in strong currents after entering the sea around 5 pm on Sunday. A multi-agency search operation coordinated by the Bekal Coastal Police resumed at daybreak on Monday after efforts on Sunday night were suspended due to poor visibility.

Appu and Ankith were part of a group of four friends employed as bartenders. According to police, one of them had recently worked at a bar in Kasaragod for about 20 days before returning home. At his invitation, the others travelled to Bekal by train on Sunday.

Police said the group went to a relatively isolated stretch of coast near Red Moon Beach. While two of the friends remained on the shore, Ankith and Appu entered the sea and were swept away. When they failed to return, their friends alerted a nearby lifeguard. Lifeguards and personnel from the Bekal Coastal Police immediately launched a search.

The search was expanded on Monday with Bekal Police, Thalangara Coastal Police and the Fisheries Department's Marine Enforcement Wing joining in. Coast Guard boats from Mangaluru and Beypore were also deployed.