Eight Pune students drown while swimming at Diveagar beach during educational trip

Parents gather outside Winners Coaching Institute in Alandi following the Diveagar tragedy. Pic/By Special Arrangement

Eight people from Alandi in Pune district died after drowning while swimming at Diveagar beach in Shrivardhan taluka of Raigad district on October 1.

The victims were part of an educational trip organised by private coaching class Winners Academy for Std XI-XII science students. Preliminary information suggests the students entered the sea to swim but were swept into deeper waters after apparently misjudging the sea conditions.

Rescue efforts

Employees of Mahakali Water Sports and residents immediately launched a search and rescue operation after receiving information about the incident. Bodies of all eight victims were subsequently recovered from the sea.

Parents alerted

The coaching institute said in a message to parents that the remaining students were safe at the hotel under the supervision of teachers and the institute. Parents of the affected students were asked to reach Shrivardhan Rural Hospital immediately for further procedures.

The incident has cast a pall of grief over Diveagar and the surrounding area. Authorities are continuing their investigation.

The deceased

>> Rajveer Vahile
>> Soham Bhandwalkar
>> Kaustubh Dond
>> Yash Wankhede
>> Kaivalya Vasankar
>> Tanmay Vahile
>> Sumit Ahire
>> Pranav Bansode