Emergency teams brave darkness, swollen rivers in four-hour operation
Sankhali/Valpoi: What began as a monsoon outing to enjoy nature turned into a life-threatening ordeal for six youths from the Sankhali-Bicholim area, who were rescued early on Monday after spending the night stranded in a dense forest near the Vajra Sakla Waterfall at Virdi on the Goa-Maharashtra border.
The six youths — Saransh Sandesh Prabhu, Angad Kamat, Anush Phulari, Raj Mapari, Viresh Pangam and Benjamin — had left for the scenic waterfall at around 1.30 pm on Sunday. With no rainfall at the time, they crossed three streams and trekked through forests, hills and valleys before reaching the waterfall.
However, the weather changed rapidly by evening as heavy rain lashed the area. The streams and river they had crossed swelled within minutes, cutting off their return route and leaving them stranded deep inside the forest. With no mobile phone network in the remote area, they were unable to contact anyone.
Surrounded by darkness, relentless rain and overflowing streams, the six youths had no option but to remain in a safe location throughout the night. Battling the cold, hunger and uncertainty, they waited for daylight and hoped rescuers would reach them.
Back home, their families endured an anxious night after the youths failed to return and could not be contacted. Their relatives alerted Bicholim Police, Fire and Emergency Services, the Forest Department and sought assistance from the office of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
The Fire and Emergency Services received the emergency call at 1.45 am. A joint rescue operation involving the Forest Departments of Goa and Maharashtra, Goa Police, Maharashtra Police, Valpoi Fire and Emergency Services, and local volunteers was launched immediately.
Despite heavy rain, darkness and difficult forest terrain, rescuers used ropes to reach the stranded youths on the opposite side of the river near the waterfall. At around 4 am, the rescue team reached the stranded youths. After nearly four hours of continuous effort, all six were brought safely back to Virdi village, Maharashtra, and reached Sankhali by around 6 am. No injuries were reported.
One of the rescued youths is the son of Sankhali Municipal Chairperson Siddhi Prabhu.
Sharing her experience after the rescue, Prabhu said, “My son had not returned home until late at night, and we went through hours of unbearable anxiety. Only a parent can truly understand the fear and helplessness experienced during such moments. No parent should have to endure such an ordeal. Many young people leave home without informing their families, which is a matter of serious concern. I appeal to all youngsters to understand their parents’ emotions and always keep them informed about their whereabouts. Nature tourism should certainly be encouraged, but it must be undertaken responsibly, with proper planning, safety precautions and adequate preparation.”
The rescue operation was carried out under the supervision of Divisional Officer (North) Shripad Gawas with assistance from Station Fire Officer Santosh Gawas. The team also included Leading Fire Fighter Arvind Desai, Driver Operator Prasad Naik, and Fire Fighters Sudhakar Gaonkar, Rupesh Gaonkar and Pratesh Gaonkar. Local volunteers Satish Gawas, Datta Gawas, Sunder Gawas, Digamber Gawas, Dattaram Chimulkar and several residents of Sankhali also assisted in the operation.
