Two women tragically lost their lives after being swept out to sea while napping on Panther Beach in Santa Cruz, California. The incident occurred at approximately 5pm local time on Wednesday, June 10, when the rising tide caught them off guard, according to a statement from Santa Cruz County Volunteer Fire Capt. Kyle Breton.
Emergency response teams, including Cal Fire, the Santa Cruz County Fire Department, Santa Cruz City Fire rescue swimmers, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, and California State Parks, swiftly mobilized to the scene. Around eight rescue swimmers were deployed to assist in the rescue efforts.
Rescuers managed to retrieve one woman from the water near Panther Beach, while the other was located at Yellow Bank Beach nearby. Both women were then transported to local hospitals for treatment. One of them was airlifted from the beach via helicopter, while the second was carried up using a Stokes basket, a stretcher commonly used by first responders.
Tragically, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that both women, identified as 21-year-old Harshita Nair and 20-year-old Mahial Sran from Fremont, California, had succumbed to the incident. Captain Breton highlighted that the women were likely sleeping near the “keyhole,” an area prone to catching people off guard due to changing tides.
Cal Fire reported that this incident marked the fifth rescue operation along a one-mile stretch of coastline near Santa Cruz in just a month, emphasizing the importance of awareness and caution when enjoying beach activities.