: A heart-wrenching tragedy unfolded in Gola area of Gorakhpur district on Sunday morning when a brother and sister drowned after being swept away by the strong current of the Saryu River while visiting their maternal grandparents during the summer vacation. Their aunt, who jumped into the river to save them, was rescued by local residents, officials said.Officials noted that drowning incidents are frequently reported along the Saryu River during the summer months because of strong currents and sudden variations in water depth. (For representation only)According to police, the children had gone to the river with family members for a bath when they accidentally slipped into deep water and began drowning. Hearing cries for help, villagers and local divers rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation.Circle officer Darvesh Kumar said personnel of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local divers recovered the bodies of Prince ,14, and his sister Shivani ,12,. The bodies were found nearly two kilometres downstream from the spot where they were swept away and were later sent for post-mortem examination.Their aunt, Maya ,16, was also pulled into the river while trying to rescue the children. However, local residents managed to save her and she was admitted to the district hospital for treatment.The tragedy plunged the village into mourning, with family members inconsolable over the loss. Officials said the children had come to their maternal relatives’ home during the school holidays. Police and local administration teams remained at the site throughout the rescue and recovery operation.Officials noted that drowning incidents are frequently reported along the Saryu River during the summer months because of strong currents and sudden variations in water depth.Meanwhile, in a similar incident in Deoria district a day earlier, two boys drowned in the Saryu River in Barhaj town, while one was rescued. One of the deceased was identified as Arpit Rajbhar ,11, son of Pawan Rajbhar and a resident of Jaynagar village. His body was recovered near Paina village, around six kilometres downstream from the under-construction Mohan Bridge, where the boys had gone missing.Officials said Arpit Rajbhar, Aman Rajbhar ,12, and Sudhir Rajbhar ,14, had gone to bathe in the river on Friday afternoon when they were swept into deep water by the strong current. Search operations were continuing for one of the missing boys till late Saturday evening, officials added.Additional district magistrate (Finance and Revenue) Jai Prakash expressed concern over the increasing number of drowning incidents during the summer season. He appealed to parents to ensure that children do not venture near rivers or unsafe water bodies without proper supervision.Authorities have urged residents to exercise caution while visiting rivers during summer, as water levels and currents can change suddenly and become dangerous.