Two young Somali women lost their lives on Thursday afternoon after going for a swim in Oroklini area, Larnaca district.

A search and rescue operation failed to get to the two women in time before they drowned.

Both women were aged 20, residing in Cyprus on a work permit.

According to a police spokesman, the two deceased were part of a group that had gone to the beach. At one point, three of the women entered the water.

When they were swept away by sea currents near the breakwater, they began calling for help. Onlookers rushed to help, managing to salvage one of three bathers.

In a statement, the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (Jrcc) said that at 7.30pm it mounted a search and rescue operation in the area.

The operation involved two police speedboats, a National Guard helicopter, a boat belonging to the lifeguards team stationed at Larnaca airport, a boat belonging to the Larnaca lifeguards club, as well two ambulances.

Rescue crews located the two women and recovered their bodies from the sea. The two women were rushed to Larnaca general hospital, where doctors pronounced them dead on arrival.

Oroklini police station is investigating.