8 Pune students on school picnic drown at Diveagar beach; bodies recovered

Eight male students from a private coaching institute in Maharashtra's Raigad district tragically drowned while on a picnic at the popular Diveagar beach on Thursday, October 1, 2026. All eight victims, who were aged 16, were recovered from the Arabian Sea. The students, who were part of a group of 48 including 25 boys, 17 girls, and six teachers, had ventured into the sea and were swept away after misjudging the depth of the water and current.

The incident has been described as heartbreaking by Shiv Sena MLA Mahendra Dalvi, who criticized the local administration for lacking adequate safety precautions. Dalvi urged the local MLA and MP to address the issue, emphasizing that schoolchildren may not understand the risks associated with the sea, such as high tide and water depth, and may not know how to swim.

Prashant Kurhade, chairman of the Alandi Municipal Council, stated that some of the students were from Alandi town while others were from neighboring Kelgaon. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also expressed his condolences, describing the deaths as extremely tragic and painful, and coordinating the transportation of the bodies.