Two women tragically lost their lives after being swept out to sea while resting on the shoreline, authorities have confirmed.
The incident took place at Panther Beach in Santa Cruz, California, around 5 p.m. local time on Wednesday, June 10. According to a statement by Santa Cruz County Volunteer Fire Capt. Kyle Breton, the two women were caught off guard by the tide while napping.
Multiple agencies, including Cal Fire, Santa Cruz County Fire Department, Santa Cruz City Fire rescue swimmers, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, and California State Parks, responded to the emergency. Approximately eight rescue swimmers were deployed in the operation.
After the rescue efforts, one woman was found near Panther Beach, while the other was located at Yellow Bank Beach. Both women were rushed to local hospitals for treatment. One was airlifted from the beach via helicopter, while the second woman was carried up in a Stokes basket, a stretcher used by first responders.
Tragically, both women, identified as 21-year-old Harshita Nair and 20-year-old Mahial Sran from Fremont, California, succumbed to the incident. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the fatalities.
Breton mentioned in a video that the women were initially sleeping near the keyhole area, a spot prone to catching people off guard. He explained how the tides swept the women out while emphasizing the risks associated with traversing through the keyhole to reach Yellow Bank Beach.
Cal Fire reported that this incident marked the fifth rescue within a month along a one-mile stretch of coastline near Santa Cruz.