Dad dies and 5-year-old daughter missing after huge waves pull them off beach on California coast
First responders continued to search Saturday along the Central Coast of California for a five-year-old girl who was swept out to sea the previous afternoon, as inclement weather continues to hammer the Golden State.
Just before 1 p.m. Friday, waves estimated to reach 15 to 20 feet high washed the young girl and her parents into the chilly Pacific waters off Garrapata State Beach in Monterey County, according to the sheriff’s office.
The mother was able to get to shore safely on her own, while the girl’s father was rescued by an off-duty State Parks lifeguard, according to law enforcement officials. He was then taken to a nearby hospital and later pronounced dead. The woman remains in stable condition with mild hypothermia.
Officials began searching Friday for the missing child, pausing their operations later that night due to weather and poor visibility conditions. The search resumed Saturday morning, featuring personnel from the sheriff’s office, California State Parks, Cal Fire, an..
