Teenage girls who drowned while taking selfies on boat 'found hugging each other' at the bottom of a lake

Two teenage girls were found hugging each other after drowning at the bottom of a lake in Thailand.

Ploypailin Srichaimoon, 16, and Theeraporn Mingkwan, 17, were rowing to the middle of the idyllic Pong Din Dam Reservoir to take pictures when their boat began taking on water in Chonburi province, Thailand, on August 29.

Their other friends who were with them jumped overboard and paddled to the banks when the boat capsized. However, the girls were unable to swim and soon sank to the depths.

Footage shows them flailing in the water as passers-by plunged into the lake to save them. However, the rescuers were forced to retreat for fear of drowning themselves.

Police Lieutenant Wichian Simachan of the Si Racha Police Station said police received a report at 7:30am.

Divers and medics arrived at the scene to search for the youngsters as their relatives lit incense near the banks, hoping for their safe return.

Ploypailin and Theeraporn were found dead three hours later. They were reportedly embracing each other while lying lifeless at the bottom of the 33ft-deep lake.

The teens' friend Jirakrit Nannartnont, 17, said they set out to the middle of the lake to admire the sunrise.

He said: 'I did not realise that the victims could not swim. I tried to help them, but I couldn't reach them in time.'

The Si Racha police chief said: ‘We have inspected the scene and questioned witnesses regarding the incident. However, we will still conduct a thorough investigation to determine the actual cause.'

The teens' bodies were taken to the Laem Chabang Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

The rescue team warned tourists to be careful swimming during Thailand's rainy season.

Thailand and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are in their annual monsoon rainy season which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms in the afternoon leading to widespread flash floods.