Harshita was studying law at UC Berkeley and her friend Mahial was set to earn a degree in Public Health from San José State University.

The two friends both attended Washington High School in Fremont – graduating just three years ago.

Bonny Doon beach is notorious for its powerful currents and steep, nearly vertical waves.
Emergency services scrambled to the scene after a frantic onlooker called 911 at around 5pm on June 10.

At least eight volunteer swimmers dove into the crashing waves to rescue the victims.

One woman was airlifted by helicopter to hospital while the other was rushed by stretcher to an ambulance.

Tragically, Harshita died soon after being pulled from the waves.

Her friend Mahial was in critical condition in hospital – but then sadly passed away on Saturday.

The young women were sleeping in a keyhole – a narrow tunnel in coastal rocks – according to Santa Cruz County Volunteer Fire Captain Kyle Breton.

“Both of these patients, we believe, were originally sleeping right at the keyhole, which is an area that we’re finding catches people unaware,” he said.

“The tides come in and, in this case, they swept out two sleeping patients, but what we’re also seeing is that people go through the keyhole to get to Yellow Bank Beach and then get trapped … because the tides come in,” Breton explained.

Hashita’s heartbroken father told the New York Post: “I have no idea what happened”.

“I am still in shock”, he said.

This is the fifth rescue along the 1-mile stretch of Santa Cruz coastline in the past month.

The Californian coastline has been battered by dangerous tides in recent weeks.

Just last week, a five-year-old girl was tragically swept into the ocean near Laguna Beach.

Amada Mia Brown was killed after becoming trapped and drowning in powerful ocean waves.

Following the tragic deaths of Hashita, Mahial and Amada Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office urged beachgoers to “be aware” and “understand how to recognize and respond to rip currents”.