Tragic Ocean Incident near Big Sur
Three individuals were swept into the ocean close to Big Sur, as California’s Central Coast faced dangerous surf conditions for the second consecutive week.
According to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, the search for one missing person is ongoing. A Coast Guard helicopter briefly spotted a body in the water but had to shift to a recovery operation due to poor visibility caused by heavy waves near Soberanes Point.
Reports indicate that a group of four adults was on a rocky shore north of Garrapata Beach when, during an afternoon swell, two women and a man were unexpectedly dragged into the ocean.
The women were rescued and taken to a hospital, though their conditions remain unclear. The man, thought to be in his 30s and wearing a white turban, black pants, a black shirt, and a black vest, has not yet been located.
The first emergency call was made around 3 p.m. on Saturday. Just after 4:30 p.m., a Coast Guard crew noted seeing a body approximately 100 meters from shore but lost sight of it due to the waves.
Search efforts were suspended as daylight faded, creating challenges for the rescue teams.
This incident occurred just a week after another tragedy struck at Garrapata Beach, where a father lost his life while trying to save his daughter from powerful waves. The girl’s identity was released, and her father, Yuji Fu, was reported to have died in the attempt to rescue her.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office stated that onlookers and an off-duty lifeguard rushed to provide help when they noticed a family struggling in the surf during severe wave conditions.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic. Yuji Fu was swept away while trying to pull his daughter back to safety. Rescuers who managed to reach him performed CPR, and he was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
The child’s mother suffered mild hypothermia but was released after treatment. Meanwhile, two younger siblings who were present on the beach were unharmed.
A large-scale search for Anji was launched on Friday afternoon and continued into Sunday, involving deputy volunteers, state park rangers, the Coast Guard, and search and rescue teams.
