KARACHI, May 31: At least two picnickers drowned in the sea near the Hawkesbay beach on Saturday, police and Edhi sources said.

They said children and staff of a private school from North Nazimabad were enjoying a picnic near Hawkesbay, when two of them — 50-year-old Tariq and 48-year-old Faisal — lost their balance while swimming near the shore.

“Seeing them drowning, one of their colleagues, 30-year-old Arif, jumped into the water but failed to rescue them,” said an official at Edhi Service, which later retrieved the body of Tariq. “Our divers are looking for Faisal’s body, which may take further time.”

He said Edhi divers meanwhile safely rescued Arif, who had entered the water to rescue his colleagues.

Though the city government has banned swimming and bathing along city beaches as high tides in the sea continue to pose a threat to human life, picnickers say it has failed to implement the ban.