Tuesday, June 16, 2026 -  Two friends have been klled after being swept into the ocean in Santa Cruz County as dangerous waves battered the California coastline.

Harshita Nair, 21, and Mahial Sran, 20, both of Fremont, were identified as the victims at Bonny Doon Beach last Wednesday, the local sheriff-coroner’s office confirmed.

Nair was a legal studies major at UC Berkeley set to graduate in 2027. Sran was set to earn her degree in public health at San José State University in 2027. Both women graduated in 2023 from Washington High School in Fremont.

They were understood to have been napping near a keyhole on the notoriously dangerous beach when the waves swept them out to sea.

Nair’s grieving father told The Post on Monday he did not know what the friends were doing when tragedy struck. “I have no idea what happened,” said Ahock Nair of his daughter’s death. “I’m still in shock.”

Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the treacherous beach to rescue the women after a witness called 911 at about 5 p.m.

Santa Cruz County Volunteer Fire Captain Kyle Breton said about eight rescue swimmers entered the dangerous ocean water to extricate the victims.

The beach is known for being dangerous due to an extremely steep surf line with strong currents and rogue waves hitting.

“Both of these patients, we believe, were originally sleeping right at the keyhole, which is an area that we’re finding catches people unaware,” Breton said.

Once rescued, one of the women was transported by helicopter to Yellow Bank Beach atop the bluffs before being taken to a local hospital, said Breton.