Raigad: Eight students of a private coaching institute drowned in the Arabian Sea while on a picnic at Diveagar beach in Maharashtra’s Raigad district on Thursday. Police said the bodies of all eight students were recovered.
The deceased were students of Winners Academy coaching institute in Alandi, Pune district, and were studying in Classes 11 and 12. They were all around 16 years old.
According to police, a group of 48 people had travelled to Diveagar for the picnic. The group comprised 25 boys, 17 girls and six teachers. The beach falls under the jurisdiction of Dighi Coastal Police Station.
Police said eight students entered the sea but apparently misjudged the depth of the water and the strength of the currents. They were swept away by the strong current and drowned.
Search and rescue teams reached the spot after receiving information about the incident. After extensive efforts, the bodies of all eight students were recovered.
The deceased have been identified as Yash Kiran Wankhede, Soham Tukaram Bhandwalkar, Tanmay Dattatre Wahile, Kaustubh Sandeep Daund, Kaivalya Satish Vasankar, Rajveer Yuvraj Wahile, Pranav Ramdas Bansod and Sumit Bharat Ahire.
Shiv Sena MLA Mahendra Dalvi, who represents the Alibag Assembly constituency in Raigad district, blamed the local administration for allegedly failing to make adequate safety arrangements. He said similar incidents had occurred repeatedly at Diveagar and called for stronger safety measures.
Dalvi also said younger children may not be able to properly assess risks associated with the sea, including strong waves and water depth.
