Story perspectives

Probe Ordered After Eight Students Drown at Diveagar

By Drooid · Oct 2, 2026, 10:16 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Winners Academy Drowning

Winners Academy lost eight 16-year-old students who drowned at Diveagar beach.
The victims were Tanmay Vahile, Sumeet Ahire, Pranav Bansode, Kaiwalya Wasankar, Rajveer Vahile, Yash Wankhede, Soham Bhandwalkar, and Kaustubh Dond.
The group entered a restricted, chest-deep sea zone at about 5:30 pm, leading to the drownings.
Owner Bhau Maruti Salunkhe of Mahakali Water Sports rescued the students but found them dead.
Alandi council sealed Winners Academy for lacking a licence.

Summary

Mahendra Dalvi Condemns Lapses

Shiv Sena MLA Mahendra Dalvi condemned safety lapses and urged officials to act.
Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan ordered a probe into the trip’s safety and negligence.
Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar instructed immediate relief for affected families.
Residents of Alandi announced a Friday bandh to mourn eight students and demand safety.
The state will issue safety guidelines for school and coaching-center outings.

History

Historical Context

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which struck on December 26 2004, killed over 230,000 people across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and fourteen nations. The United Nations established the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System in 2005, allocating $10 million to regional monitoring stations across the basin. Today's Alandi tragedy, where eight Winners Academy students drowned after entering a restricted zone, echoes the same safety-neglect that prompted the 2005 reforms. Consequently, Indian state governments now draft mandatory safety guidelines for school outings, aiming to prevent another loss like the 2004 disaster.

1 of 3

Winners Academy Drowning

Winners Academy lost eight 16-year-old students who drowned at Diveagar beach.
The victims were Tanmay Vahile, Sumeet Ahire, Pranav Bansode, Kaiwalya Wasankar, Rajveer Vahile, Yash Wankhede, Soham Bhandwalkar, and Kaustubh Dond.
The group entered a restricted, chest-deep sea zone at about 5:30 pm, leading to the drownings.
Owner Bhau Maruti Salunkhe of Mahakali Water Sports rescued the students but found them dead.
Alandi council sealed Winners Academy for lacking a licence.

1 / 3