Two college friends with bright futures ahead of them have died after being swept into the Pacific Ocean while napping on a notoriously dangerous stretch of California coastline, authorities said.
Harshita Nair, 21, and Mahial Sran, 20, both of Fremont, were relaxing near a natural keyhole formation at Bonny Doon Beach in Santa Cruz County when large waves caught them unaware last Wednesday afternoon, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office. The powerful southern swell that battered the coastline for days created life-threatening conditions along the beach.
Nair was pronounced dead shortly after rescue crews pulled her from the water. Sran remained hospitalized in critical condition until Saturday, when she succumbed to her injuries, the sheriff-coroner's office confirmed. Authorities have yet to officially determine cause and manner of death for either victim.
Background
The two women had been napping on the shore when they were caught by a wave that swept them out to sea. A witness called 911 at approximately 5 p.m., prompting one of several recent water rescues along the same stretch of coastline.
Santa Cruz County Volunteer Fire Captain Kyle Breton said about eight rescue swimmers entered the dangerous waters to extricate the victims, navigating treacherous currents and rogue waves characteristic of the area.
"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 told reporters. "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."
The beach is known for its extremely steep surf line, strong currents, and unpredictable wave patterns that have made it a frequent site of emergencies. Wednesday's rescue marked the fifth water rescue performed by first responders in the past month along the one-mile stretch between Yellow Bank Beach and Bonny Doon Beach.
Nair was a legal studies major at UC Berkeley set to graduate in 2027 and had worked as an intern at the university student union, according to her LinkedIn profile. She graduated in 2023 from Washington High School in Fremont. Sran was pursuing a public health degree at San José State University and served as president of a public health club on campus, also graduating from Washington High School in Fremont in 2023.
The dangerous conditions were driven by a powerful south swell that impacted beaches across the Pacific coastline for much of the preceding week, according to the National Weather Service. The sheriff's office issued warnings urging beachgoers to exercise extreme caution given the increased frequency of emergencies.
The Investigation
Santa Cruz County Sheriff-Coroner investigators are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. No criminal charges have been filed as authorities work to determine the official cause and manner of death for both victims.
The incident came one day after 5-year-old Amada Mia Brown of San Bernardino was swept into the ocean near Laguna Beach while playing on the shore with her family, highlighting the deadly conditions that plagued California's coastline during the period.
Key Takeaways
- Harshita Nair, 21, and Mahial Sran, 20, both of Fremont, died after being swept into the ocean at Bonny Doon Beach in Santa Cruz County
- The women were napping near a keyhole formation when rogue waves caught them unaware around 5 p.m. Wednesday
- Eight rescue swimmers entered dangerous waters to recover the victims; Nair died shortly after rescue while Sran survived until Saturday
- Authorities have yet to officially determine cause and manner of death for either victim
- The incident marked the fifth water rescue in the past month along that one-mile stretch of coastline
What's Next
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff-Coroner's Office continues its investigation into the incident. No timeline has been given for when official cause of death determinations will be announced.