Toddler among five feared drowned as car plunges into open well near Sathankulam

In a tragic accident, a car plunged into an open well near Sathankulam on Saturday evening. Five persons, including a toddler, were feared drowned. Fire and Rescue Services personnel are searching for them.

In a tragic accident, a car plunged into an open well near Sathankulam on Saturday evening. Five persons, including a toddler, were feared drowned. Fire and Rescue Services personnel are searching for them.

A group of eight persons from Coimbatore were travelling in a car to participate in a church festival in their village near Sathankulam. The car was driven by Moses, 50.

Around 4 p.m., when the car was crossing Meerankulam near Sathankulam, the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle. It veered off the road and plunged into an open well that had no protective wall.

Two passengers, Shini Kirubakaran, 26, and Esther, 23, managed to open the doors and jump out of the vehicle, escaping without major injuries.

However, the other occupants of the car fell into the well. Villagers who saw the accident alerted Sathankulam police. Local people managed to rescue one of the occupants, Hershion, 30, who was struggling in the water.

Fire and Rescue Services Personnel from Sathankulam and Nanguneri rushed to the spot and began rescue operations. However, since the well is around 50 feet deep, they were unable to retrieve any of the victims even after more than three hours of search. The persons feared drowned are identified as Moses, 50, Vasantha, 49, Ravi Kovil Pichai, Letria Kirubha, and a one-and-a-half-year-old toddler, Stalin.

Earthmovers were brought in to assist the rescuers. Divers from Thoothukudi were later summoned to continue the search.