Two migrant workers died on Saturday due to suspected smoke inhalation at Beypore Harbour in Kozhikode. The deceased have been identified as Ripan Das (22) and Sahadev Das (20), both from West Bengal.

The duo, along with Babu, a native of Beypore and Gunagar Das from West Bengal, were on board the fishing boat Ayisha when the incident occurred. Around 6 am, the men entered the boat's storage room to check for a possible engine leak, but they developed breathing distress soon after.

Following the incident, a rescue operation was carried out under the leadership of the Fisheries Marine Enforcement team, Beypore port councillor M Girija said. 

Although they were rushed to a nearby private hospital, Ripan and Sahadev succumbed to their injuries. According to the Beypore Coastal Police, Gunagar has been discharged, while Babu is still undergoing treatment.

The police said that preliminary reports indicate that the two have died due to smoke inhalation and asphyxiation. However, the police are awaiting the post-mortem reports to confirm the exact cause of their deaths. 

Meanwhile, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) has been issued to facilitate the handing over of the bodies of the deceased to their families.