Two Friends Die After Being Swept Away by Waves in California

Two friends, Harshita Nair, 21 and Mahial Sran, 20, were killed when they were napping near a keyhole on the Bonny Doon Beach, known for its treacherous waves.

The incident took place last Wednesday and now the sheriff's office has revealed the identity of the victims.

"I have no idea what happened. I am still in shock," Harisha Nair's father told the New York Post.

Both were alive when rescued

One witness called 911 at about 5 pm and multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the incident. Eight rescue swimmers entered the water. One of the women was transported by helicopter to Yellow Bank Beach atop the bluffs before being taken to a local hospital. Another woman was brought to Panther Beach and then was carried to an ambulance in a Stokes basket.

Nair died soon after rescue while Sran remained at a local hospital in critical condition until Saturday.

“Swimmers were able to locate the first victim and move them on to Panther Beach, where we began resuscitation efforts. A second victim was located further down shore, and was pulled into Yellow Bank Beach. And then Copter 614, the Cal Fire hoist helicopter, was able to lift that patient off the beach, also CPR in progress,” a first responder told KSBW 8.

Who were Harshita Nair and Mahial Sran?

Both friends were from Fremont.

Nair was a legal studies major at UC Berkeley, set to graduate in 2027. Sran was a student of public health at San Jose State University.

They graduated in 2023 from Washington High School in Fremont.

Santa Cruz County Volunteer Fire Captain Kyle Breton said both of them were sleeping right at the keyhole which is an area that catches people unaware.

"The tides come in and, in this case, they swept out two sleeping patients, but what we're also seeing is that people go through the keyhole to get to Yellow Bank Beach and then get trapped ... because the tides come in," he explained.