A MOTHER of three drowned in front of her horrified children after being swept away as she was posing for the perfect seaside snap.
Video footage shows Jyoti Sonar, 32, and her husband Mukesh sitting on a rock at the popular Bandra Bandstand promenade in Mumbai, India.
Moments before disaster struck, they were laughing and smilingCEN
The two had been braving the waves for a sweet photoCEN
The couple laugh and hold on to each other as the sea pounds them and despite being soaking wet in their sari, polo shirt and jeans, they refuse to withdraw to the shore.
Yet increasingly powerful waves come splashing against the boulder they are perched on as several passersbys can be seen observing the scene.
Around 90 seconds into the footage, Jyoti and Mukesh plunge into the water after a wave.
A child can be heard screaming “Mummy, mummy” several times before the clip ends.
While her husband was saved by a witness, Jyoti drowned in the high-tide waters.
Witnesses called the police after the incident on July 9 and a search and rescue operation was launched immediately.
The 32-year-old woman’s body was found 20 hours later on the following day.
Jyoti was taken to a hospital where medics pronounced her dead upon arrival.
Her devastated husband Mukesh told local media: “I tried my best to save her. When the fourth wave hit us from behind, I lost my balance and we both slipped.
He added: “A bystander held me by the leg while I grabbed my wife’s sari but she could not be saved.”
The dad of three – from Rabale, Maharashtra State – said they had initially planned to visit Juhu Chowpatty Beach but were not allowed entry due to the high tide.
The family then decided to spend the day at Bandra.
Reflecting on the traumatic incident, Mukesh said: “Jyoti followed me into the sea and we began enjoying the feel of the water splashing on our clothes.
“The kids were also trying to move toward us but we restricted them since the sea was rough.”
He added: “We sat on a rock and our kids, who were watching us from a distance, began taking photographs.
“Though my grip was tight, she slipped out of her saree and got dragged into the sea in front of my eyes. My kids were right there.
“They screamed for help but there was little that anyone could do. I don’t know how they will overcome this trauma.”
Users online criticised the couple’s actions and warned each other from taking such risks for perfect pictures.
One user said: “That child is who I feel for. Adults were being ridiculous, now the child will suffer for life.”
Another piped in: “The only person I feel bad for is the kid. That must have been so traumatic.”
The two had been snapping photos by the seasideCEN
The wife tragically died after being swept awayCEN
