Bodies of stringer, driver found

The bodies of a stringer of a Malayalam news channel and a car driver, who had gone missing after their country boat capsized in a canal near Vaikom, were found today, police said.

The body of Saji, stringer of 'Mathrubhumi' news channel, was found soon after the diving teams of fireforce and Navy resumed search operations this morning, they said.

His body was handed over to his relatives after autopsy at the government medical college hospital, Kottayam.

The body of Bipin, the car driver of the channels Thiruvalla bureau, was found in the canal at 7.30 pm around 300 metres from the accident site.

His body has been sent for autopsy, police said.

The two, part of a media team that had gone to cover the flood-hit areas near Vaikom, were reported missing yesterday after the country boat carrying them capsized.

Mathrubhumi channel's Kottayam staff reporter K B Sreedharan and cameraman Abhilash, who were also in the boat, were rescued by local people in another boat.

The ferryman was also rescued by them.

Police, fire and rescue service personnel and locals had launched a search soon after the incident last afternoon but called it off by night fall.

They resumed rescue operations this morning.

A Naval disaster relief team, comprising five personnel, was also engaged.

Sreedharan and Abhilash have been admitted to a hospital.