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2 Bay Area college students dead after being swept into ocean at Santa Cruz Co. beach

ABC7 Bay Area • June 16, 2026 • nation

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Two Bay Area college students, Mahial Sran of San Jose State University and Harshita Nair of UC Berkeley, died after being swept into the ocean in Santa Cruz County last week.
Rescue teams deployed eight swimmers to bring both students to shore, but they later succumbed to their injuries.
Changing tide conditions and a sneaker wave likely contributed to the incident, with the "keyhole" area becoming inaccessible at high tide, trapping beachgoers.
Nair was remembered by UC Berkeley's Student Body President for her dedication to helping marginalized communities and her strong sense of community.
Authorities emphasized ongoing dangers along the coast, noting an unusually high number of rescues in the area recently and urging public caution.