Five persons from Ernakulam in Kerala were returning to their natives from Munnar, when the person driving the car lost control at Kedimedu and plunged into 11-foot deep canal, police said.

One, Karthikeyan, a driver, who was washing his milk van, noticed the mishap and managed to rescue a person, identified as Alba, who was struggling to come out of water.

The car with other inmates drowned in the water, they said.

Fire and Rescue personnel, with assistance of Police managed to retrieve the bodies Jackson, Judin Joy and Amal, while search was on for one Lijo.