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Two Indian-origin men drown in Colorado river
The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) identified the victims as Anoop Gankidi, 32, of Tempe, Arizona, and Venkata Mukkaala, 32, of Milpitas, California.
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Malvika Choudhary - Fri, 08, Aug 2025
- 17:52 EDT
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Representative Image / Pexels
Two Indian-origin men drowned in the Colorado River near Topock Gorge on Aug 3.
The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) identified the victims as Anoop Gankidi, 32, of Tempe, Arizona, and Venkata Mukkaala, 32, of Milpitas, California. Both men were of Telugu origin and had reportedly entered the water without life jackets to cool off during a boating trip, authorities said.
Also Read: Indian national dies in South Carolina drowning accident
According to a statement from the MCSO, the incident occurred around 2:15 PM when the department’s Division of Boating Safety received a call about two men who had gone underwater near a beach area by the Topock Gorge and had not resurfaced. A passing boat had flagged down another vessel to report the emergency.
Deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBCSD) arrived first on the scene and deployed a diver. The diver located and retrieved one victim while MCSO deputies arrived shortly afterward and assisted in lifesaving efforts. The second victim was recovered soon after by the same diver. Both men were transported to the Colorado River Medical Center in Needles, California, where they were pronounced dead.
Authorities said the group had anchored their rented pontoon boat along the riverbank before all five occupants entered the water. Three individuals began to struggle, and while one managed to reach shallow water, Gankidi and Mukkaala did not resurface.
“Impairment is not a factor in this incident,” the MCSO said, adding that the victims were found in approximately 12 feet of water after being submerged for nearly 20 minutes.
According to local news outlet azcentral.com, Gankidi was originally from Hyderabad and had moved to the U.S. several years ago to pursue a master’s degree in computer engineering at California State University. He was employed as a computer engineer in the Phoenix area at the time of the incident, a friend of the victim told the outlet.
The nationality of Mukkaala has not been officially confirmed, though reports indicate he was also of Indian origin.
The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office has stated that the investigation is ongoing.
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