'Can't believe he's dead': Parents of missing US student Saketh
Saketh Sreenivasaiah, a 22-year-old from Karnataka studying at UC Berkeley, was confirmed dead by the Indian Consulate after his body was found in Lake Anza early Sunday morning, February 15, 2026.
His parents, struggling to accept the news, are asking for an emergency US visa so they can see him themselves before believing it.
Backpack found near lake where he went missing
Saketh went missing on February 9; his backpack with his passport and laptop turned up near Lake Anza.
After days of searching with drones and dive teams, authorities found his body on February 15, 2026.
The cause of death is still under investigation.
Friends say Saketh had been withdrawn lately
A recent IIT Madras grad and co-inventor on a hyperloop cooling patent, Saketh moved to Berkeley last fall for his master's.
Friends noticed he'd been withdrawn lately—his roommate shared that Saketh had started eating less and once said, "I've stopped caring."