8 Students Drown at Diveagar Beach During Pune Coaching Institute Picnic

Eight students from a private coaching institute in Pune drowned after entering the sea at Diveagar beach in Raigad district during a picnic on Thursday. Police said the students may have misjudged the depth and tide while venturing into the water.

The students had travelled from Pune in a hired private bus as part of a picnic organised by Winners Academy in Alandi. According to the district administration, a total of 48 students and teachers, including 25 boys, 17 girls and six teachers, had visited the beach at Dighi Sagari, Diveagar.

According to Dighi Sagar police, the group entered the sea while visiting the beach. Preliminary information suggested that some students went into the water to swim but were swept towards deeper areas after apparently misjudging the depth and tide.

“Preliminary information that we have received is that the group had come for a picnic from Pune. They had hired a bus. On visiting the beach, they had ventured into the sea and had misjudged the tides, due to which they drowned,” police said.

The students who lost their lives were identified as Tanmay Dattatray Wahile, Sumit Bharat Ahire, Pranav Ramdas Bansode, Kaivalya Satish Wasankar, Rajveer Yuvraj Wahile, Yash Kiran Wankhede, Soham Tukaram Bhandwalkar and Kaustubh Sandeep Daund.

After the students were seen drowning, local residents and water sports personnel immediately rushed towards the sea to assist in the rescue operation.

Employees of Mahakali Water Sports, along with local residents, entered the water and began searching for the students, according to local reports.

The incident has raised concerns about the risks faced by visitors entering the sea at beaches where changing tides and water depth can pose serious dangers.