COX`SBAZAR: A tourist drowned while bathing in the bay and seven others were rescued from the seawater in critical condition in Cox`sbazar Monday, as sea remained rough.

Police and witnesses said swimmers of Yasin Lifeguards, a non-governmental organization that works at the seashore, rescued the unidentified young man from the sea in critical condition and rushed him to hospital. The duty doctor declared him dead on arrival.

Earlier in the day, rescuers rescued seven other tourists in serious condition while they were being washed away into the sea at about 11:30 am. Immediately they were sent to the local hospitals.

They are Tusar, 17, and Linkon, 20, of Sonaram area of Munshiganj, Manik, 35, and his wife Nitu, 25, Rasel, 35, and his wife Dolly, 25, of Lalabag in the capital and Mohammad Bin Saleh, 12, son of Abu Saleh Mohammad Azad, of Gulshan-2 in the capital.

Director of Yasin Lifeguards Mostafa Kamal told banglanews, "Our men rescued the youth, aged about 23, from the Laboni point when they saw something like human body floating in the water at about 3:30 pm and sent him to Fuad Al Khatib hospital."

Operation-in-charge of Cox`sbazar Model Thana Pradip Kumar Das said the tourist--one of many who crowded the panoramic resort on the beach of the Bay of Bengal for eid-vacationing--died after he was taken to the hospital.

BDST: 2310 HRS, SEPT 13, 2010