A second woman has died after she and a friend were swept into the ocean by rising tides along the Santa Cruz County coastline. Mahial Sran passed away over the weekend at a local hospital, several days after the incident near Yellow Bank Beach. Sran, 20, and her friend, 21-year-old Harshita Nair, were reported missing after being caught in the surf last Wednesday. Investigators believe the two women had fallen asleep near the beach’s keyhole area and were unaware of the incoming tide until it was too late to escape. Emergency responders launched an extensive rescue effort, deploying eight rescue swimmers into the water to search for and recover the pair. Both women were eventually pulled from the ocean and transported for medical treatment. Nair died shortly after being rescued, while Sran remained hospitalized in critical condition for several days. Authorities continue to remind beachgoers to stay alert to changing ocean conditions and tide levels.
