Kochi: Three more bodies were recovered on Friday as search operations by Navy, Coast Guard and fire department to trace persons who went missing after their vehicle plunged into a lake at Aroor near here concluded on the third day. All the five bodies of the victims have been now recovered, television reports said.
It is now confirmed that five persons -- four Nepali citizens and a Malayali -- were drowned after the pick-up jeep carrying a total of nine persons broke through a bridge railing and fell into the lake in Aroor along the border of Ernakulam and Alappuzha districts on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the rescue team recovered two bodies of Nepali citizens.
The victims were identified as Nepal nationals Madhu Khatri, Himanlal Khatri, Shyam Khatri, Jaman Bahadur Khatri and vehicle driver Nijas Ali, who is a Keralite.
Four other Nepalese migrant workers, who were also travelling in the vehicle, were rescued from the water by fishermen and have been admitted to various private hospitals at Aroor and Kochi on Wednesday itself.
The pickup vehicle was traced and pulled out of the water late Thursday night, police said.
Eye witnesses had said that the accident occurred as the driver lost control of the vehicle and rammed it into the Aroor bridge's railing before crashing into the lake.
(With agency inputs)