Eight engineering students, Including two girls, from Belgaum in Karnataka drowned in the sea off Malvan, Sindhudurg on Saturday afternoon, police said.

Another three students were rescued by local fisherfolk. One of the students is in serious condition and undergoing treatment at Malvan hospital, said Sindhudurg Police Control official Ravindra Ghirkar.

The victims were part of a 50-strong group of picknickers from a private engineering college who arrived here early on Saturday in a private bus from Belgaum and had gone to the picturesque Wayri Beach.

Shortly after reaching here, the students, allegedly ignoring warnings by locals of strong currents, ventured into the sea and were soon washed away into deep waters.

Fisherfolk managed to rescue three of them. They later retrieved the bodies of the other eight, including the two girls.

Top police and district officials have arrived at the scene of the tragedy from Sindhudurg, around 35 km away.