Oakland teen, SF man identified as victims in separate drownings in Russian River

SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- Authorities on Tuesday morning released the names of two people who died in separate drowning cases along the Sonoma County coast and the Russian River over the weekend.

The victims were Elan Miranda, 17, of Oakland, and Pranav Narain, 31, of San Francisco, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.

Miranda died Sunday afternoon after a raft tipped over at Monte Rio Beach on the lower Russian River. Miranda and another teenager had been floating without lifejackets when they capsized around 3 p.m.

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One teen was rescued by a bystander, but Miranda could not be located immediately. First responders found the victim about 20 minutes later and administered CPR, but Miranda was pronounced dead at the scene.

Less than an hour later, emergency crews responded to Martinelli Beach north of Jenner, where Narain had fallen into the ocean while paddleboarding. He was not wearing a lifejacket when he stood on the board and lost balance.

A woman accompanying Narain tried to rescue him, but was unable to reach him. She swam to shore and called 911, then a sheriff's helicopter located Narain in the water.

CPR was administered by fire personnel, but he was also pronounced dead at the scene.

Sunday's tragedy highlighted the hidden dangers of the river, one plastered on warning signs in English and Spanish all along the shore.

"Swimming in the river is more perilous than people realize," said Deputy Brandon Jones. "First and foremost, the water at the bottom moves at a different rate than the water at the top of the river."

Uber confirmed that Nairan was a contractor with the company in San Francisco and released this statement:

"We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our colleague Pranav, and extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends during this difficult time."

Miranda was a recent graduate of Fremont High School in Oakland. The Oakland Unified School District shared these thoughts with ABC7 News:

"Fremont High School and Oakland Unified School District are devastated by the loss of Elan Miranda. The spring 2025 graduate was a beloved member of the Fremont community, who was an outstanding student with a bright future ahead of him. He graduated from the architecture pathway at Fremont, and worked as an intern at the Cypress Mandela Training Center with his eyes on a career in construction, possibly as an electrician. Elan was in the ACE Mentor program, and had planned to attend Laney College in the fall and apply to the Cypress Mandela Adult Program. He was conscientious about his work, and even more so about helping his fellow students. He was a kind young man who was well-liked and respected by his peers. Elan will be deeply missed by the Fremont and Oakland Unified communities. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends."

In a GoFundMe created by Miranda's cousin, the family shared that Miranda had just been baptized that morning with his church camp. When he went swimming later without a life jacket, they said he was unexpectedly pulled down the water.

Bay City News contributed to this report