MUMBAI – A harrowing accident unfolded late Monday night on Mumbai’s Coastal Road, where an Ertiga car plummeted 30 feet from the Worli stretch directly into the deep Arabian Sea, according to reports from ABP Live. The vehicle, which sank to the seabed almost immediately, left authorities scrambling in a high-stakes rescue operation. Remarkably, the sole occupant escaped with his life, thanks to the swift response of patrolling Maharashtra Security Force personnel.
The incident occurred around 11 p.m. on October 6, as the car sped from Mahalaxmi toward Worli. Eyewitness accounts and initial police statements indicate the 28-year-old driver, identified as Frashogar Darayush Battiwala, lost control at high velocity. The vehicle veered off course, smashed through a concrete divider, and hurtled over the edge into the churning waters below. Battiwala, a resident of the area, sustained only minor injuries in the chaos and was rushed to a nearby government hospital for evaluation and care.
Maharashtra Security Force officers, conducting routine night patrols along the route, spotted the crash and sprang into action. Their prompt intervention—deploying ropes and emergency gear—enabled them to pull the dazed driver from the surf before hypothermia or further harm could set in. “The car hit the water and vanished beneath the surface in seconds,” one officer recounted to investigators. Divers from the Worli Police were summoned shortly after, but recovery efforts for the submerged Ertiga have been hampered by strong currents and low visibility. The vehicle remains at the bottom of the sea, pending a full salvage operation at first light.
Worli Police have detained Battiwala for questioning as part of their ongoing probe. Preliminary findings point to excessive speed as the primary factor, with suspicions of alcohol impairment under scrutiny. Blood tests are being processed, and forensic teams are analyzing skid marks and barrier damage to reconstruct the sequence of events. No other vehicles were involved, and traffic on the vital coastal artery was briefly disrupted while emergency crews secured the site.
This close call serves as a stark reminder of the risks posed by the scenic but unforgiving Mumbai Coastal Road, a 29-kilometer engineering marvel connecting South Mumbai to the suburbs. Opened in phases since 2024, the elevated highway has cut commute times but has also seen a spate of high-speed mishaps due to its sweeping curves and seafront exposure.
The accident echoes a tragic episode just one month prior, on September 9, 2025, near the junction of the Coastal Road and Worli Sea Link. In that collision, a recklessly driven car struck a group of officers providing VIP security detail, killing Constable Dattatray Kumbhar of Worli Police Station on impact. Kumbhar, a veteran with years of service, suffered fatal injuries from the forceful ram. A female colleague was gravely wounded in the same crash and required intensive medical attention. Authorities at the time attributed the disaster to driver error amid heavy nighttime traffic, prompting calls for enhanced barriers and speed enforcement along the corridor.
As investigations continue into the latest plunge, Mumbai’s traffic police have reiterated safety advisories for the Coastal Road: adhere to the 80 km/h limit, avoid distractions, and never drive under the influence. The Worli Police Station vows a thorough inquiry to prevent future tragedies on this lifeline of the city.
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