Malpe : Four tourists, including a woman, from Kochi in Kerala, had to spend all night on Saturday on St. Mary’s island, off Malpe, after they missed the last boat to return from the island to Malpe with other tourists.

Jastin (34), Sheeja (33), Josh (28) and Harish (17) took the boat of the Malpe Beach Development Committee to the island at around 12.30 p.m. on Saturday. After visting St. Mary’s island, the four went to an adjoining small island. As the water level increased, the four could not reach St. Mary’s Island on time and missed the last boat that left the island at 6.45 p.m.

The four tourists returned to Malpe by the first boat on Sunday at 7.30 a.m.

Jastin and Sheeja run a home stay facility, while Josh works in that facility. Harish is a football player from Cochin Football Academy. The four had left Kochi on a train on November 21. They went around Udupi and left for Goa on November 22. They returned to Udupi on November 23 and proceeded to Malpe, the police said.

The Malpe Police checked their tickets and other travel documents and cross checked the details with Kerala Police before releasing them. The four tourists left for Kochi on a train on Sunday, the police said.