Bodies of three minors fished out, one boy remains missing

According to locals, most of the victims came from financially humble backgrounds. Locals said the boys were a a close-knit group as they had grown up in the same vicinity of Datta Mandir Road in Vakola.

Requesting anonymity, a relative of the Oganiya brothers said, “The siblings lost their father ten years ago and were survived by their mother and two elder sisters. They worked in a local kirana store in order to support their family.”

Speaking to The Indian Express, Ravi Pawade, a member of MFB’s Flood and Rescue Team, said a group of eight boys came to visit Juhu Koliwada on Monday evening. “While three boys were clicking selfies, five of them were sitting on the edge of the jetty. Since there were high tides in the sea, a 4.5 metre long wave washed the five boys away”, added Pawade.

Members from the rescue squad said that the high tide and gusty winds, that had developed due to Cyclone ‘Biparjoy’, was standing in the way of rescue operation. To facilitate the rescue operations, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) also issued requests for divers from the Navy and Coast Guard. The Indian Navy also pressed into service a search and rescue chopper around 8:20 pm on Monday. “Owing to the tidal waves, the bodies went into deep into the water and the rescue operations took more time. Also, since there was a sporadic spell of rain, we had to take multiple pauses during the operation, since visibility was also an issue,” said an official.

Seeking to enjoy their vacation, the boys had planned a fun getaway including shopping and a visit to the beach ahead of the resumption of their school.

The missing boy’s cousin, Kaushal Tajbhariya, who was among the eight people who visited Juhu Beach on the day of the incident recounted, “We had initially planned to go shopping in Santacruz. However, we decided to take a detour and took a bus for Kurla. Our plans changed again midway as we decided to get down at Juhu Beach.”

“While my friends and I were at a safe distance from the waves, the other five were sitting on the bridge. We shouted at them multiple times to come back, but they didn’t pay heed to our warnings”, added Tajbhariya.

According to sources, owing to the cyclone intimations, the children had been refrained by the lifeguards from venturing into the water. “Since monsoon is approaching, the waters tend to be choppy. However, because of the cyclone and high tidal waves, the force was more intense. The lifeguards, who were on duty at the time, had alerted the children sitting towards the jetty to stay away from the waters but they did not pay heed to their warnings,” a member of the lifeguard team working on the shores told Express on Tuesday, adding that they always issue warnings to visitors during extreme weather conditions.

Meanwhile, the search for the missing minor is still underway at Juhu Koliwada.

On Monday evening, four minor boys aged 16 were feared drowned after five children who were sitting on the edge of the jetty at Juhu Koliwada, near Juhu beach, were washed away in a high tide. The incident was reported at 5.28 pm.

While one of the five victims had been rescued alive soon after by the local fishermen, local lifeguards, personnel of the Flood and Rescue Team, Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) and police were pressed into services seeking to conduct the rescue operation.