Authorities have provided new information that appears to support the families of two college students who tragically died at a notoriously dangerous California beach, contradicting earlier eyewitness claims that the young women were asleep when powerful waves swept them into the ocean.

Harsнιтa Nair, 21, and Mahial Sran, 20, both from Fremont, lost their lives on June 10 at Panther Beach, also known as Bonny Doon Beach, near Santa Cruz. Initial reports suggested the friends had been sleeping on the sand when sudden waves engulfed the area. However, new details from emergency response officials now indicate the young women were likely awake and relaxing near the water’s edge when disaster struck.

The revised understanding comes from Cal Fire spokesperson Michael Horn, who spoke exclusively to The U.S. Sun. He explained that early eyewitness accounts describing the pair as “sleeping” may have been a misinterpretation of normal beach behavior.

“In the early stages of any incident, we’re working with limited information,” Horn said. “One eyewitness initially said the girls were sleeping on the beach. But if you’ve ever been to a beach, you’ve seen people lying on towels sunbathing or relaxing. From a distance, that can easily be mistaken for sleeping.”

Both Nair’s father and local business owner Susan Gonzales-Centoni, who knew Mahial Sran, had strongly disputed the sleeping narrative from the beginning. They pointed out that the women’s belongings remained dry and undisturbed on the beach — a detail that would be unlikely if they had truly been asleep when the waves hit.

According to investigators, the two friends had pᴀssed through a narrow rock opening known as a “keyhole” to reach a more secluded stretch of beach. While visually striking, this area is known for its steep shoreline and powerful undertow, making it especially hazardous when ocean conditions change rapidly.

Horn described how “sneaker waves” — larger-than-expected waves that can surge far up the beach without much warning — likely caught the young women off guard. He noted that the beach’s steep slope can create a strong pull back into the water once a wave recedes, even for capable swimmers.

“It’s not necessarily that they went in too far,” Horn explained. “Sounds like one of the sneaker waves came in. I am only speculating but they were at a point where they thought it was far enough, and then a big wave comes in and wiped out their legs and creates a moment of panic.”

The ocean can shift from calm to extremely dangerous in just minutes, Horn added, and even experienced beachgoers can be caught off guard. Volunteer fire captain Kyle Breton also confirmed that officials believe the women were near the rock arch when rising water flooded the pᴀssageway and swept them into the sea.

The tragedy has prompted renewed warnings about the dangers of Panther Beach and similar coastal areas in California. Since May 1, emergency services have responded to 11 incidents along the stretch of coastline between northern Santa Cruz and the county line, including five ocean rescues.

Harsнιтa Nair was studying legal studies at UC Berkeley and was expected to graduate the following year. Mahial Sran was pursuing a degree in public health at San José State University, with plans to finish in 2027. Both women had graduated from Washington High School in Fremont in 2023 and were remembered as bright, ambitious students with promising futures.

Their deaths have left the Fremont community in mourning and have reignited discussions about the unpredictable power of the Pacific Ocean. Officials continue to urge visitors to remain vigilant, pay close attention to changing surf conditions, and avoid getting too close to the water’s edge in areas with steep beaches or rock formations.

While the exact sequence of events may never be fully known, the latest information from emergency responders offers some clarity for the grieving families and corrects the early narrative that the young women had been sleeping when the waves struck. The focus now remains on honoring their memories and ensuring others are aware of the hidden dangers that can exist even on seemingly calm stretches of California coastline.