Maharashtra: Five of Borivli families, heading to Ganpatipule, drown at beach in Ratnagiri

The victims were members of two families from Borivli’s IC colony.

Five people on a picnic to Ganpatipule in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district drowned while swimming in the Arey Ware beach on Sunday evening.

Picture for representation

The victims were members of two families from Borivli’s IC colony, and were on their way to the Ganpatipule beach when they decided to break their journey at the Arey Ware village, around 15km from their destination. The five of them, Monica D’Souza, 44, her children Saloni,22, Mathew, 16, and Rachel,18, and Kenith Masters, 56, decided to swim in the sea around 4.30 pm, but were pulled in by strong currents.

Their bodies were recovered two hours later. Kenith Masters’ wife, Leena, 52, was also pulled in by the currents but managed to escape.

Another member of the group, Monica’s mother-in-law Rita D’Souza,70, was sitting in their car.

“Leena somehow managed to save herself after the water reached her shoulder, but the others could not get out,” police inspector Ayub Khan from the Ratnagiri Traffic police told HT.

“All the bodies have been retrieved and the two survivors are being taken care of by the police,” said Pranaya Ashok, Superintendent of Police, Ratnagiri