Diveagar, India — A serene outing took a tragic turn for a group of students from Winners Academy when eight boys drowned at Diveagar beach in Maharashtra’s Raigad district on October 1, 2026. All eight victims, aged 16 and identified as Yash Kiran Wankhede, Soham Tukaram Bhandwalkar, Tanmay Dattatray Vahile, Kaustubh Sandeep Daund, Kaivalya Satish Wasankar, Rajveer Yuvraj Vahile, Pranav Ramdas Bansod, and Sumit Bharat Ahire, were part of a larger excursion involving 48 attendees, including boys, girls, and teachers.
The students ventured into the water without fully grasping the risks, leading to a swift and deadly current that overwhelmed them, according to officials. After a leisurely visit to Raigad Fort, the group arrived at the beach where the tragedy unfolded in the afternoon. Local authorities reported that the students entered the water around 3 p.m., but by 5 p.m., all eight had been recovered from the sea by search teams activated after alarms were raised by beachgoers.
Assistant Police Inspector Santosh Awati of the Dighi Coastal police station noted that the eight boys succumbed due to their inability to evaluate the water’s depth and current accurately. The rapid response from local water sports operators and emergency services allowed for the retrieval of the victims’ bodies, which were later taken to a health center where doctors pronounced them dead.
In light of this heartbreaking incident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed his condolences, describing the loss as “extremely tragic and painful.” The state government is now working to facilitate the return of the victims’ bodies to their families while addressing the broader safety and administrative questions raised by the event.
Local officials also voiced their concerns about safety protocols at the beach. Shiv Sena MLA Mahendra Dalvi criticized the administration for not adequately safeguarding the students, emphasizing that children are often inexperienced in marine situations, which can lead to fatal underestimations of ocean conditions. The Alandi Municipal Council responded swiftly, shutting down Winners Academy after discovering it had been operating without the necessary licenses.
This tragedy echoes a similar incident from 2016, when 14 students drowned at Murud beach during an outing. That case sparked significant discussions about safety regulations at beaches across the state. Following those drownings, the Bombay High Court had sought assurances from the government about the enforcement of beach safety measures.
As families come together to mourn and remember the eight boys, the focus has shifted toward preventing such avoidable tragedies in the future. Community members have begun calling for enhanced safety measures that include lifeguards and warning signs at popular beach locations, highlighting the urgent need for better education about ocean safety for students embarking on such outings.
As authorities conduct their investigations and offer support to the grieving families, the community is left grappling with the profound loss and the lessons that must be learned to ensure the safety of future generations.