A man is presumed dead after a wave swept him and two women into the ocean Saturday at a California beach — just one week after a father and his 7-year-old daughter drowned in a similar incident at the same park, officials said.
The trio had been on the rocks at Soberanes Point in Garrapata State Park around 3 p.m. when a wave pulled them into the water, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. Bystanders reported hearing screams for help.
The two women managed to swim back to shore and were hospitalized for evaluation. Their conditions were not immediately released.
A Coast Guard helicopter spotted what appeared to be a body at around 4:30 p.m. but lost visual contact due to dangerous surf. Officials were unable to recover the body at the time.
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The missing man, described as about 30 years old, was last seen wearing a white turban, black shirt, black shorts and a black vest-style jacket.
The search was suspended Saturday evening due to darkness and hazardous conditions. Dive teams and drones resumed operations Sunday morning but high winds and unsafe water conditions hindered the search. Recovery efforts were again halted at nightfall, though were expected to continue Monday.
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Authorities urged the public to avoid the Soberanes Point area, warning people to stay off coastal rocks and out of the ocean under all circumstances.
“Conditions remain extremely dangerous, and a Beach Hazards Statement is still in effect,” the sheriff’s office said.
Last week, 15-to-20-foot waves swept a 39-year-old father and his young daughter — visiting from Calgary, Alberta, Canada — into the ocean. Both died. Their bodies have since been recovered.
