29-year-old Sunny Minchekar fell into the Bhayander creek and was trapped there for over two hours. He managed to stay afloat solely because of his waterproof bag, before being rescued by fisherfolk
As Sunny Minchekar heads out to meet his friend, he plugs in his earphones. Distracted by the music, he doesn’t realise how perilously close he is to the edge of the bridge. Illustrations/Uday Mohite
They say it’s healthier to let go of your baggage, but that’s not always true. The only reason Sunny Minchekar is alive today is because he held on to his for dear life. The 29-year-old had a miraculous escape after he fell into Bhayander creek and was trapped there for over two hours, kept afloat solely because of his waterproof bag.
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Sunny loses his balance and falls into the creek below. Thankfully, his bag is waterproof and acts like a float because of the air trapped inside
Sunny, a Mira Road resident, was getting bored alone at home and decided to visit his friend. He plugged in his earphones and merrily walked on the defunct rail bridge over Bhayander creek. Lost in the music, Sunny never realised how close he was to the edge, until he slipped and crashed into the water below.
Sunny yells for help, but no one can hear him over the sound of passing trains. He floats for about 100m before getting caught in a fishing net that prevents him from drifting out towards the choppy sea
Sunny was no swimmer – the only thing keeping him from drowning was his backpack, which acted like a float because of the air trapped between the waterproof layers.
He remains stuck there for over two hours, until someone spots him from a nearby railway bridge and alerts the police. The cops then call a local fisher couple for help
The creek’s currents dragged him deeper in, but Sunny stumbled upon yet another miracle that saved him from drifting out into the endless sea – a fisherman’s net. For over two hours, Sunny held on to the net and the thermocol buoy keeping it afloat, until a passer-by finally spotted him and alerted the police. “I was on duty and rushed to the spot. I informed my superiors and the fire brigade and then asked a fisher couple for help. After they rescued him, we took the victim to the Vasai Mahanagar Palika hospital,” said Constable Vitthal Salunkhe from Manikpur police station.
The couple come to Sunny’s rescue in their boat. He is taken to the shore, drenched to the bones, but still clutching his backpack
“We have taken his statement and informed his relatives. His condition is stable now and he has been discharged from hospital,” said an officer from Vasai police station.
Sunny Minchekar held on to his bag till the end. Pic/Hanif Patel
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