Skipping coach feared drowned in sea in Chennai

A 27-year-old skipping coach from Delhi was feared drowned after being dragged by strong waves while bathing in the sea off Marina Beach on Thursday (January 8, 2026) evening. Search operations by the police and fire and rescue services are continuing.

The missing man has been identified as Harbag Singh, 27, a resident of Mangalpuri in New Delhi. He came to Chennai along with five of his students to participate in a skipping competition held at the Tamil Nadu Sports University in Kandigai Melakottaiyur near Tambaram.

After the competition, they went to Marina Beach around 2 p.m. on Thursday. Around 3.30 p.m., they entered the sea near Vivekananda House. The police said a strong wave suddenly swept Harbag Singh into deeper waters. While the students managed to return safely, the coach was dragged into the sea.

The students immediately alerted the Marina police personnel on duty. Tamil Nadu Special Police personnel, including Ajith Kumar, along with local police and fire and rescue teams, launched a search operation.