A Gujarati family, trying to reach the US with dreams of a better future, faced tragedy when two innocent children – Prince (14) and Mahi (10) – drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of San Diego, California. The incident happened on May 5 when the family was reportedly trying to enter the US illegally via Mexico.
The children’s father Brijeshkumar Patel (40) is in a coma, while mother Jagriti (39) is hospitalised and suffering from mental trauma. The family is said to have gone to London on a visitor visa in October 2024, but the family was unaware that they were planning to enter the US illegally.
Speaking to the media, Brijesh’s uncle Anil Patel said, “When we saw the news of this boat accident on social media, we recognized the names of the children – Prince and Mahi. At first we thought it was not related to our family, but then we got a call from the Indian embassy confirming the children’s death. We were told that Brijesh is in a coma and Jagriti is in the hospital. Our only prayer is that a family member can go there and meet them.”
This incident is one of the many cases in Gujarat where the dream of America turned into a tragic end. Earlier in January 2022, four members of a family, including two children, from Dingucha village in Mehsana district died after being trapped in a snowstorm on the US-Canada border. Brijesh’s family is from Anandpura village, while the victims of the Dingucha accident also belonged to the Patel community.