Missing person poster Shreyas Kelkar, the Indian American boy believed to have jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge
Shreyas Kelkar is a 16-year-old Indian-American boy who is believed to have jumped off the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, California.
His body had not been located as of December 16, 2022, and search and rescue operations continue, according to Yahoo.
Kelkar lived with his family in Sunnyvale, California. Thirty or more people have died from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge each year, according to the bridge website, and efforts are underway to improve safety. However, the safety project won’t be completed until 2023.
Those who are struggling can get help by calling the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255).
Here’s what you need to know:
1. A Person Heard a ‘Splash’ After Shreyas Was Seen Walking on the Bridge
Missing posterShreyas Kelkar
Ashish Kelkar, the father of the boy, a resident of Sunnyvale, told Indica that his son’s “bicycle and helmet were found on Golden Gate Bridge.”
“The search started yesterday, after a splash was reported in the water. At present there is no safety net installed at the Golden Gate Bridge, it is being built,” an officer with the California Highway Patrol told Indica.com.
He was seen hiking on the bridge before a person who heard a splash called 911, the site reported. NDTV reported that it’s believed Shreyas jumped off the bridge around 4:58 p.m. on December 13, 2022.
“There is a strong suspicion that he may have jumped off the bridge but we are praying that we find him,” Ashish Kelkar told Indica. “We have filed a missing complaint.”
Heavy has reached out to the California Highway Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard for additional details.
2. Family & Friends Shared a Missing Poster for Kelkar
A missing poster for Kelkar was widely shared on social media before his death. “SOS! This is my friend’s son. Please share for maximum reach,” wrote one woman on Facebook. She shared the above poster.
It says he was last seen at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco at 4:45 p.m. on December 13, 2022.
3. Kelkar’s Father Says He Was Quiet Lately
GettyGolden Gate Bridge
According to Mirchi9, Kelkar’s bicycle, helmet and bag were “found on the bridge.”
His father, Ashish Kelkar told police “his son was sort of quiet for the past two to three months,” but he thought it was just a “teen phase
Community leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria told NDTV that “this is fourth incident involving an Indian American jumping off the Golden Bridge in an apparent suicide attempt.”
4. Kelkar Was Interested in Applied Mathematics
Missing posterShreyas Kelkar
Shreyas was attending Homestead High School and was interested in applied mathematics, according to Mirchi9.
Tribune India reported that Kelkar was a high school senior.
India Today reported that the Coast Guard conducted a two-hour search for Kelkar.
5. A Suicide Deterrent System Is Being Created at the Golden Gate Bridge to Save Lives
Golden Gate Bridge websiteGolden Gate Bridge with nets
According to the Golden Gate Bridge’s website, a “Suicide Deterrent System,” also known as the Safety Net, “is being constructed to keep people from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge.”
On average, “30 people or more die from suicide here each year. Hundreds more are stopped from harming themselves through the efforts of the Golden Gate Bridge District Patrol, California Highway Patrol, other law enforcement, and citizen intervention. Ultimately, a physical barrier is needed to stop this tragedy,” the site reported.
“Engineers designed the Net to minimize impacts to Bridge views and appearance. It’s also been designed to minimize interference with the daily operations and maintenance of this iconic structure. You have to look carefully to see the gray steel net design in the picture above.”
According to the website:
The Net will be placed 20 feet below the sidewalk, extending 20 feet out from the Bridge. This design was chosen through a public process which solicited input from the community. The selected design allows open, scenic vistas to remain intact, while preventing anyone from easily jumping to the water below.
The Net will have minimal impacts to the architecture of the structure, but there are some necessary changes with the introduction of this new element. The Net’s new steel support struts are tube sections that will be painted the same International Orange color of the Bridge. The support struts attach to the vertical members of the Bridge stiffening truss and are spaced every 50 feet, the same spacing as the Suspension Bridge suspender ropes. After the support struts are installed, a horizontal stainless steel wire rope net will be stretched across those support struts.
The color and spacing of the support struts are designed to allow the new members to blend into the existing structure in order to minimize the visual impact of this new element. These additions will slightly diminish the integrity of the historic features, as the Net was not part of the original design.
Net construction began in 2018 and is expected to be completed in 2023.
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