Mumbai, Jul 17 (IANS): After a massive operation of nearly 28 hours, the bodies of three minor boys, who drowned in the Marve Creek at Malad west, were recovered on Monday afternoon, the BMC Disaster Control said here.

They were among five who had entered the Marve Creek to clean themselves after playing football on the beach and apparently got trapped in the currents in the swirling waters during the high tide around 9.45 a.m. on Sunday.

While two boys were rescued safely by the local fisherfolk and police teams, three had gone missing, said the BMC.

A major aerial and sea operation was launched to trace them despite the inclement weather conditions and the missing trio was fished out of the waters this afternoon by the Mumbai Fire Brigade, police, Indian Navy and the fishers.

They are identified as: Nikhil S. Kayampur, 13, Ajay Harijan and Shubham R. Jaiswal, both aged 14, and all victims resided in the Pereirawadi compound in nearby Marve village.

Ajay’s older brother Krushna Harijan, and his friend Ankush, survived the ordeal after being swept to an iron electric pole near the marshes and both were rescued in the afternoon on Sunday.