Warning Issued Following Family’s Tragic Beach Incident
A coroner urges beachgoers to stay vigilant after a family drowned at a Victorian beach, highlighting the need for water safety education.
Phillip Island, Australia, Drowning, Beach Safety, Coroner, Family Tragedy
Newhaven: A coroner in Victoria has shared a serious warning after a heartbreaking incident where four family members drowned. It’s a tough reminder of how dangerous beaches can be.
The victims were Reema Sondhi, 42, Kirti Bedi, 20, and siblings Suhani and Jagjeet Singh Anand, both in their twenties. They were enjoying a day out at Forrest Caves Beach when tragedy struck.
They were part of a larger family group visiting Phillip Island from Melbourne. While they were having lunch, they decided to take a quick dip, but things went horribly wrong.
Five adults were caught in a rip current, and only one, Sanjeev Sondhi, managed to swim back to safety. The others were pulled from the water by other beachgoers.
Coroner Sarah Gilbert investigated the incident and emphasized the importance of being cautious at Australian beaches, especially during summer. She pointed out that simply having warning signs isn’t enough.
She mentioned that many people, especially those born overseas, might not be aware of the risks associated with swimming in unfamiliar waters. This is a crucial point since nearly half of drowning victims in Victoria since 2014 were born outside Australia.
Reema was visiting family from India, and Kirti was studying psychology at Deakin University. The coroner noted that while there were signs warning about the dangers, the family didn’t see them on their way to the beach.
Detective Senior Constable Kane Treloar explained that the rip current looked inviting, especially to those who weren’t strong swimmers. He advised that the areas with broken waves would have been safer to swim in.
Coroner Gilbert encouraged everyone to use the BeachSafe app, which offers safety information in multiple languages. It’s a great tool to help beachgoers make informed decisions.