On June 10, 2026, a fun seaside outing turned fatal for two friends as they were caught unaware on a Santa Cruz beach by the raging waters of the North Pacific Ocean.
The lives of Harshita Nair and Mahial Sran, both of Fremont, were cut short after they got swept into the ocean as they were vacationing at Bonny Doon Beach.
Despite the best efforts of the local authorities, both women passed away shortly after they were rescued.
Highlights
- Two university-goers lost their lives after getting swept into the Pacific Ocean at a beach in Santa Cruz, California.
- They were both alive when rescuers brought them to the shore, but passed away shortly afterward.
- It was the fifth rescue mission carried out in this region amid ongoing warnings of hazardous conditions along the Pacific shoreline.
“My heart goes out to the families. So tragic and such young lives lost,” one user said.
Nair and Sran were both alive when first responders rescued them
Image credits: Linkedin/Harshita Nair
Nair, 21, was a legal studies major at UC Berkeley, and Sran, 20, was studying public health at San José State University. Both graduated from Washington High School in 2023 and were set to earn their respective degrees in 2027.
According to local reports, multiple law enforcement agencies, including Cal Fire CZU, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, and California State Lifeguard, responded to a 911 call placed at around 5 p.m.
Image credits: CAL FIRE CZU San Mateo-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz County Fire Capt. Kyle Breton told local press that eight rescue swimmers were looking for the women, and several people were on the banks, observing and pointing out where the two were.
One of them was airlifted in a helicopter from Yellow Bank Beach to a local hospital and given CPR on the way. The other was brought to Panther Beach, where she was carried in a Stokes basket to a waiting ambulance and taken to a local hospital.
Image credits: CAL FIRE CZU San Mateo-Santa Cruz
Nair passed away soon after the rescue. Sran remained in critical condition but breathed her last on Saturday.
The coroner’s office has yet to declare the cause and manner of their passing.
According to reports, Nair was an intern at the UC Berkeley student union and reportedly worked at a UPS Store in Fremont, and Sran was a part-time cashier at a Michael Kors outlet at the Great Mall in Milpitas.
Conflicting accounts have emerged on Nair and Sran’s demise
Image credits: Instagram/mahial_22s
Capt. Kyle Breton told the media that Nair and Sran might have been napping at the “keyhole” on the beach when a rising tide flooded the area and pulled them into the water.
On a beach, a keyhole typically refers to a small, narrow passage through a rocky cliff or sea arch that connects one isolated stretch of sand to another. These passages are highly hazardous because rising tides can quickly block off access, trapping people.
“Panther and Yellow Bank Beach are separated by what we call the keyhole, and as soon as the tide comes in or gets high, the keyhole is inaccessible,” Breton explained.
“And so, what happens is people go through the keyhole, thinking they're gonna have a great day at the beach, and then all of a sudden, they get cut off, and options run out very, very quickly. And so that's sort of what happened that day.”
Image credits: CAL FIRE CZU San Mateo-Santa Cruz
Sran's father, on the other hand, told ABC7News on June 15 that the early reports of the two women being asleep when they were pulled in were false.
He said that his daughter's bag and phone never got wet, suggesting that they may have left their belongings farther inland on purpose and got struck by a rogue wave before they had a chance to recover them.
Image credits: Santa Cruz Harbor
He does not believe they fell asleep, in which case Sran would likely have her bag and phone with her. An eyewitness also told the outlet that Nair and Sran were not asleep at the time.
“I have no idea what happened,” Nair’s father told The New York Post. “I’m still in shock.”
Capt. Breton did not dismiss the possibility of a sneaker wave in his statement.
Tragedy struck Nair and Sran amid ongoing hazardous conditions along the Pacific shoreline
Image credits: Go Fund Me
Breton also said that this was the fifth water rescue in the area in just the past month. The department typically performs about 6 to 8 rescues per year.
Nair and Sran’s incident happened a day after 5-year-old Amada Mia Brown, of San Bernardino, was swept into the ocean near California’s Laguna Beach, around 405 miles south of Bonny Doon. She was set to start kindergarten in August.
Officials in Santa Cruz County have been warning people via social media alerts all week to be careful when visiting beaches, which are expected to be crowded as temperatures continue to rise.
Image credits: Safe Beach Day
A Beach Hazards Statement was issued on June 16, warning anyone visiting beaches along the entire Pacific coastline to remain cautious through Thursday morning.
“Long-period S-SW swell will generate hazardous conditions, including sneaker waves and strong rip currents,” the post read.
“Up to 1.7 ft of inundation above ground level is possible in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways,” the full alert warned.
“High tide flooding of lots, parks, and roads, with only isolated road closures expected. Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions, along with localized beach erosion, can be expected. Sneaker waves can sweep across the shoreline without warning, pulling people into the sea from rocks, jetties, and beaches.”
“Stay off of jetties, piers, rocks, and other waterside infrastructure. Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous surf, and NEVER turn your back on the ocean,” it said.
"Never turn your back to the ocean," a reader wrote
