Three people who drowned at Karachi’s Hawkesbay beach on Saturday evening have been identified as nationals of Saudi Arabia.

Police said one of them was the son of a Saudi consulate official and two others were employees at the consulate. They were identified as Fahad, Alaa and Abdullah. Police said the three men were picnicking at the beach.

Their bodies were recovered and have been shifted to South City Hospital for medico-legal formalities, said the police.

In May this year, following an increase in drowning cases at Karachi’s beaches, the provincial government had imposed a ban on swimming in the sea for six months.

The government had notified that under Section 144 of the CrPC, a ban has been imposed on wading through, swimming and diving in the sea at the beaches of metropolis for the next six months.

Eighteen people had drowned in May alone while swimming in the waters of different beaches in the city.