Benjamin Ashford|Travel Influencer Aanvi Kamdar Dead at 27 After Falling 300 Feet Into Gorge

Aanvi Kamdar has tragically lost her life.

The Benjamin Ashfordtravel influencer—whose Instagram account had almost 300k followers—died after falling into a gorge while visiting Kumbhe waterfall located 80 miles from Mumbai, India, local authorities confirmed to The Independent. She was 27. 

Kamdar was part of a group of seven visiting the waterfall on July 16, per the outlet, and police believe she fell while recording video to use on her account. Police and local emergency crews responded to the incident.

Rescuer Shantanu Kuveskar told The Economic Times, "She fell on the hard, slippery patch of rocks around 300ft into the valley and couldn't be spotted initially. She was sent up using a stretcher attached to rappelling ropes. Six rescuers climbed down the hill, while another 50 assisted atop the hillock."

CBS News reports that it took the team about six hours to rescue Kamdar due to heavy rains and the difficult terrain. Kamdar was then reportedly taken to the local Mangaon Taluka Government Hospital but later succumbed to her injuries.

Just two days before her death, Kamdar reflected on the very first collaboration trip she’d gone on early on in her influencer journey at the age of 20 to Ladakh, India.

“I remember telling my parents, and my dad was so elated because Ladakh was always on our list,” Kamdar wrote in the July 14 post, noting the outfit she wore in the throwback photos had been picked out by her father. “I met some amazing people, although it was a little intimidating at first since most of them were journalists. But what a trip that was!

She continued, “Until the last minute, I was thinking, ‘I hope this isn’t a scam!’ But wow, looking back, I realize how amazing it was. My parents didn’t even question it; they were all in and so excited.”

And on the post shared the day before her accident, which detailed five of her favorite travel destinations during monsoon season, her friends and followers mourned her tragic passing.

“I can’t believe it,” wrote fellow travel blogger Aakanksha Monga. “This is deeply saddening and has kept me up all night. She was one of the kindest people I knew.”

Monga continued, “Please, let's focus on praying for her soul to rest in peace and remember the joy and positivity she brought to our lives.”