PANAJI: A tourist from Bijapur who ignored safety advisories and warnings from his friend, slipped while sitting on the rocks at Baga and lost his life on Wednesday. The 34-year old man, identified by Goa police as Ashpaq Masali, had come to Goa for a holiday with his friend, a woman from Sangli.The two spent the day at Baga, where Masali reportedly consumed alcohol before deciding to sit on the rocks for a daredevil moment. The woman was recording a video of him sitting on the rocks even as choppy waves crashed into the rocky promontory.“I was standing above on the rocks and he was sitting closer to the waves. I told him don’t go… he had taken drinks,” said the woman. In the video, Masali, who hailed from Bijapur, is seen playing with the water seconds before being swept away by a large wave.‘Friends warned him not to sit on rocks but he did not listen’Masali managed to stay afloat for a few minutes but the rough seas proved too strong for him to overcome.As soon as the woman and other bystanders raised an alarm, an effort was made to try and rescue him. His body was later recovered from the Baga shoreline.Also Read: Karnataka plans ‘Namma Guide’ website & app to connect tourists with local guides“His friends had warned him not to go and sit on the rocks but he did not listen. He went and sat on the rocks,” said a police constable.Drishti Marine, the govtappointed agency for beach safety, had issued an advisory to residents and tourists to stay out of the sea and exercise caution while visiting beaches and other waterfront locations during the monsoon.Officials said rocky stretches become extremely slippery during the rains, and signboards warn that large waves can sweep people into the sea or that they may fall while posing for photos.With rough seas and unpredictable weather conditions now prevailing in the state, swimming in the sea, coastal water sports activities and fishing operations are prohibited during the monsoon season.Red flags have been placed along beach stretches across the state to indicate that entering the water is unsafe.
