In a heartbreaking incident, four out of the five boys who went missing on Juhu Beach on Monday were found dead while one is still missing. According to officials one person still remains missing and the search operation is under way.
The incident unfolded between 4:30 pm and 5 pm on Monday as a group of five boys ventured into the sea from the Juhu Koliwada side jetty. Despite the lifeguard's attempts to dissuade them by blowing his whistle, the boys disregarded the warning, according to the police.
Among the missing boys are four residents from the Datta Mandir area in Vakola, Santacruz East. The incident occurred amidst a total of four lifeguards stationed at the beach, while a team of 12 lifeguards supervised the entire shoreline.
Cooper Hospital authorities have released an update on the condition of the victims. According to the information received, Dharmesh Valji Faujiya, aged 16, Shubham Yogesh Ogania, aged 16, Jay Roshan Tajbhariya, aged 16, and Manish Roshan Oganiya, also aged 16, have been declared brought dead by the on-duty Medical Officer.
Preparedness at Mumbai beaches
The Navy and the Coast Guard have Jet skis and speed boats at their disposal but self-restraint on the part of the revellers remains the best discipline, said a lifeguard.
There is also a tendency to flock to the beaches and jetties during monsoon and many people fail to judge the water level or the ferocity of the waves, points out another old-timer. Therefore, the BMC and fire brigade need to make contingency arrangements. There are six beaches in Mumbai -- Girgaon, Dadar, Juhu, Versova, Aksa and Gorai. The fire brigade goes through the motions of erecting boards and banners informing people not to enter the choppy waters. But tourists often don’t heed the warnings.
The Fire Brigade already has 94 lifeguards stationed on these beaches.
