Panaji, Aug 15 (IANS) Two people drowned while two others were rescued, when they were caught in a powerfull water current in close vicinity of a beached ship off Goa's Candolim beach Sunday.

Sadanand Kandolkar, 46, and Sanjay Harmalkar, 30, were fishing in a canoe along with two other people in close vicinity of MV River Princess, a cargo vessel which had run aground off Candolim beach, 15 km from here, when they were caught in the rip current, an official said.

The two other fishermen were rescued by lifeguards of the Drishti Special Response Service (DSRS), which is in charge of beach management services in the state.

DSRS officials in the past have said that swimming at Candolim beach, especially near the beached ship, was extremely hazardous because of the rip tides which are formed due to the presence of the vessel.

The state government, which has been unable to rope in private salvagers to tow away the vessel - owned by local mining company Salgaonkar Mining Industries Limited - for the last 10 years, has floated a tender once again this year calling for bidders to tow away the vessel, which has been already notified as a state disaster by the district administration.