Two college students were napping on a California beach locals describe as dangerous, and they were tragically swept out to sea

Two college students have passed away after being swept out to sea while napping on a beach in Santa Cruz County, the New York Post reported. The victims were identified as Harshita Nair, a 21-year-old legal studies major at UC Berkeley, and Mahial Sran, a 20-year-old public health student at San José State University. Both women were from Fremont and had visited Bonny Doon Beach on 10 June. They were reportedly resting near a keyhole feature on the shoreline, a spot that local authorities have identified as being particularly dangerous for visitors.

The incident began when a witness contacted emergency services after 5:00 PM upon seeing the women being pulled into the ocean while they were asleep. The rescue effort was substantial, involving approximately eight rescue swimmers from the Santa Cruz County Volunteer Fire team who entered the water to retrieve the pair. Santa Cruz County Volunteer Fire Captain Kyle Breton spoke about the specific risks of this location, noting that the geography of the beach frequently puts unsuspecting visitors in harm’s way.

“Both of these patients, we believe, were originally sleeping right at the keyhole, which is an area that we’re finding catches people unaware,” Breton said of the incident. He further explained that the area presents a dual risk for those who aren’t familiar with the local tides. “What we’re also seeing is that people go through the keyhole to get to Yellow Bank Beach, and then they get trapped on Yellow Bank Beach because of the tides,” Breton explained.

The rescue operation was incredibly complex, given the environment

One of the women was transported by helicopter to Yellow Bank Beach before being rushed to a hospital, where she later passed away. The second victim was brought to Panther Beach, where she was placed in a stokes basket and transported to an ambulance for hospital care. According to the Santa Cruz sheriff-coroner, Nair died shortly after the rescue, while Sran remained in the hospital until she passed away on Saturday, 13 May. While the investigation into the exact cause of death is ongoing, the tragedy has highlighted just how volatile this stretch of coastline can be.

The CAL FIRE CZU San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit took to Facebook during the rescue efforts to emphasize the danger of this one-mile stretch of water. They noted that this was the fifth water rescue in the area over the past month.

The situation was complicated further when the rescue teams were alerted to another emergency within Santa Cruz City limits during their after-action briefing, requiring them to respond quickly to a separate incident. The unit stated, “As it happens, during the after action briefing, the call went out that there was another emergency within Santa Cruz City limits and the city agencies had to quickly respond.”

The dangerous conditions along the California coast during this period were attributed to a powerful southern swell that impacted beaches across the Pacific Ocean. Officials from the National Weather Service indicated that this surge created an extremely steep surf line, intense currents, and unpredictable rogue waves. The beach is known for these hazards, which often catch beachgoers by surprise. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office has since issued warnings to the public, urging caution after seeing a high frequency of water rescues in the area over the last few weeks.

The lives of these two young students were full of promise. Nair, who was set to graduate in 2027, was an intern at the UC Berkeley student union and had previously worked at a UPS Store in Fremont. Sran, who was also looking toward a 2027 graduation, served as the president of a public health club at her college and worked part-time as a cashier at the Michael Kors Outlet in the Great Mall of Milpitas. Both women were graduates of Washington High School in Fremont, finishing their studies there in 2023.

The loss has left families and the community in disbelief. When speaking with the media, Nair’s father, Ahock Nair, expressed his confusion and grief, stating, “I have no idea what happened,” and adding, “I’m still in shock.”

The incident serves as a grim reminder of the power of the ocean, especially when visitors are unaware of the specific geological and tidal traps present at beaches like Bonny Doon. As investigators continue to look into the circumstances surrounding the deaths, the local fire department and sheriff’s office remain focused on warning the public about the extreme risks of the Santa Cruz coastline.