The chipping paint on the side of the vessel seemed to mock at the rescue party, which recovered the canoe ironically called `My Lucky Stars'. Margao police said Nikhil Vasudev Mehta (49) from Sion, Nandkishore Kothari alias Nandu (50) and Dilip Gokani (49), both from Santa Cruz, drowned when the motorised canoe capsized during a joy-ride on the third day of their summer sabbatical.

While five other members of the party, including three women, were rescued by friends on board another canoe, the deceased could not be resuscitated.

Police sources the ill-fated vessel may have capsized as a result of its occupants crowding one side and upsetting the canoe's balance.

Tragedy struck on Wednesday morning shortly after the tourists set off for a ride on board two motor boats at around 8.30 pm. Police say it is common for smallfishing craft owners to ferry thrill-seekers on to the high-seas on fragile canoes. In this instance, the two boats were about 15 km from the shore when one of them capsized.

The bodies were sent to a local government hospital for a post-mortem and were later handed over to the 17 surviving members of the tourist party. Later, they were given permission to transport the bodies back to Mumbai.