Rising tides sweep 2 sleeping college students to death at California beach
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Two college students in California died after being swept into the Pacific Ocean by rising tides and strong surf while napping near a popular but dangerous beach access point, according to authorities.
The victims were identified as 21-year-old Harshita Nair and 20-year-old Mahial Sran, both of Fremont, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to local news outlets.
The two friends were believed to be sleeping near the “Keyhole,” a natural arch used to access Yellow Bank Beach, where incoming tides on Wednesday afternoon caught them off guard and pulled them into the water, authorities said.
“We believe both of these patients were actually sleeping in the Keyhole, which is an area that catches people unawares,” Santa Cruz County Volunteer Fire Capt. Kyle Breton said in a CAL FIRE video following the water rescue. “The tides came in and dragged away two patients who were sleeping in this state.”
RIP CURRENT BEACH RESCUE SHOW SWIMMERS FACE FATAL RISKS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO STAY SAFE
CAL FIRE SCU Alma Helitack Copter 614 brought a patient from the beach to the cliffs, officials said. (Facebook/CAL FIRE CZU San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit)
Emergency crews rushed to a remote area of the shoreline after a witness called 911. About eight rescue swimmers entered the rough waves as part of a multi-agency rescue effort that included CAL FIRE, state lifeguards and local fire departments, officials said.
One woman was pulled ashore at Panther Beach, where rescuers immediately began life-saving efforts. The second was located further down the shoreline, according to first responders, and was lifted from Yellow Bank Beach by a CAL FIRE helicopter while CPR was ongoing.
About eight rescue swimmers entered the rough surf as part of a multi-agency rescue effort that included CAL FIRE, state lifeguards and local fire departments, officials said. (Facebook/CAL FIRE CZU San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit)
Both women were taken to the hospital but were later pronounced dead, KSBW reported.
HIKERS RESCUED FROM THE REMOTE BEACH BY HELICOPTER AFTER THE RISING SEA BLOCKED THEIR ONLY EXIT WAY
Nair studied law at the University of California at Berkeley, while Sran studied public health at San José State University. Both women graduated from Fremont Washington High School in 2023 and were expected to complete their degrees in 2027, according to the New York Post.
“I have no idea what happened,” Nair’s father, Ahock Nair, told the Post. “I’m still in shock.”
Members of the agencies involved in the water rescue appear to later meet for an after-action review. (Facebook/CAL FIRE CZU San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit)
The tragedy unfolded on a treacherous stretch of Santa Cruz County coastline known for steep surf, strong currents and so-called “sneaker waves” that can surge well beyond the waterline with little warning.
Wednesday’s rescue was the fifth water rescue in the past month in the 1.5-kilometer stretch between Yellow Bank Beach and Bonny Doon Beach, authorities said.
Law enforcement and fire crews have responded to an increasing number of water rescues over the past few weeks, officials said. (Facebook/Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office)
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION
The deaths also occurred as strong surf and dangerous ocean conditions battered the California coastline. Forecasters had warned of strong currents and large waves from prolonged southern swells; officials say these conditions are contributing to an increase in water rescues across the state.
