Victims’ families question if better safety measures could have saved lives

The Ahire family, devastated by the loss of their son Sumit, are questioning whether more stringent safety measures could have prevented his drowning at Diveagar beach. Sumit, a black belt in karate and a bright student, had dreams of achieving academic success and a life beyond their expectations. His parents had promised him a future filled with opportunities.

At Diveagar beach, 25 boys and 17 girls, accompanied by six teachers, went on a picnic. Unfortunately, eight students were swept away and drowned when they entered the sea. The loss has left the Ahire family grappling with questions about the safety of the outing. They wonder if better safety measures could have saved their son's life.

Similarly, the families of Kaivalya Wasankar, Soham Bhandwalkar, and Pranav Bansode are also questioning the safety measures. Kaivalya, who had a mature and generous personality, was planning to study engineering. Soham, a kind and helpful Class XI student preparing for an engineering career, had never been a strong swimmer. Pranav, despite being told he could not swim, was on the trip. All three boys drowned during the outing.

The families of the deceased boys allege that there were lapses in supervision and that life jackets were not available in sufficient numbers. However, the families are still waiting for answers and struggle to come to terms with their loss.