Two students drowned at sea

DENPASAR, Bali: Two junior high school students in the Karangasem regency in eastern Bali were presumed drowned after being engulfed by high waves while swimming at sea last week, an official said yesterday.

"The bodies of I Nyoman Murta, 16, and I Nyoman Sudarma, 15, were not found after four days of searching," said Chief of the Karangasem police precinct, Lt. Col. Achmad Yahya.

The students of the state Manggis high school were swimming off the Labuhan Amuk beach with dozens of their friends.

The Antara news agency quoted Yahya as saying that similar accidents happened every year there, where the undertow is strong.

"The high waves and murky water have hampered our search for the bodies," Yahya said.

Meanwhile, on Saturday a 15-year-old drowned in the Klungkung regency. I Wayan Parta, who could not swim, was reportedly using a tire which suddenly deflated. His body was found at midnight by a resident. (anr)