A 39-year-old father died trying to save his 7-year-old daughter, who was swept away into the ocean by a massive wave at California’s Garrapata State Beach on Friday.
In a Sunday statement on Facebook, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the body of the 7-year-old who went missing on Friday after a massive wave swept her away into the ocean was recovered.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office explained that sheriff deputies responded on Friday to reports of a water rescue at Garrapata State Beach.
“During the incident, 39-year-old Yuji Hu, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, entered the water in an attempt to save his daughter after a powerful wave—estimated at 15 to 20 feet—pulled her from the shoreline,” the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office stated. “As Hu reached for her, both were carried farther out to sea.”
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office noted that the 7-year-old girl’s mother also entered the water to try to save her but was “overtaken by the surf.” After returning to the shore, the child’s mother was transported to a local hospital and treated for hypothermia. The sheriff’s office confirmed that the mother was later released from the hospital and added that a 2-year-old child present during Friday’s incident was not injured.
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The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office explained that while a beachgoer and an off-duty California State Parks officer were able to bring the 39-year-old father back to the shore and give him CPR, he was ultimately declared deceased at a local hospital.
In Sunday’s statement, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office announced that “large-scale search operations” for the 7-year-old girl were conducted on Friday and Saturday. The search operations included the sheriff’s office, CAL FIRE, the U.S. Coast Guard, California State Parks, California State Parks rescue divers, and Monterey County Search and Rescue. Additionally, helicopter support was provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, Naval Air Station Lemoore, and the California Highway Patrol.
“On Sunday, November 16, California State Parks officers and lifeguards remained on scene at Garrapata State Beach. At approximately 1:20 PM, a diver located a body roughly 100 yards offshore and about half a mile north of the child’s last known location,” the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said. “The diver brought the child to shore and notified State Parks. Monterey County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue assisted with the recovery. The Sheriff’s Office can now confirm that the recovered body is that of the missing child.”
“The family has expressed their gratitude to all agencies, personnel, and community members involved in the search and recovery efforts,” the sheriff’s office added. “They continue to request privacy and do not wish to make further statements at this time.”
