A heartbreaking tragedy unfolded at Garrapata State Beach along California’s rugged Big Sur coast on Friday, November 14, when massive waves swept a family into the ocean, leaving a father dead and his 5-year-old daughter still missing.
The incident happened just before 1 p.m., according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. A lifeguard rushed to the scene after spotting the family in trouble near the water’s edge. The little girl was suddenly pulled out to sea by waves that witnesses estimated at 15 to 20 feet high. Her father jumped in desperately to save her, managing to grab her hand for a moment, but the powerful surf dragged both of them farther out.
The mother tried to reach them but was also caught in the waves. She fought her way back to shore on her own, while a 2-year-old child in the family stayed safe and unharmed on the beach.
An officer at the scene heroically pulled the father from the water and started CPR right away. Both parents were rushed to a nearby hospital—the father was pronounced dead there, and the mother was treated for mild hypothermia and listed in stable condition.
Despite immediate searches, the 5-year-old girl vanished in the chaos. She was last seen wearing a white shirt. Rescue efforts involving multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard with a helicopter overhead, were called off around 9 p.m. that night because of dangerous weather and poor visibility. Teams picked up the search again on Saturday, combing the coastline and scanning the ocean from the air.
Photos from the sheriff’s office show rescuers in bright yellow and orange gear huddling for briefings, scouring rocky shores, and a helicopter hovering over the churning waters. Authorities urged drivers on Highway 1 to steer clear of the beach area to give emergency crews room to work.
The National Weather Service had a beach hazards warning in effect through November 14, alerting people to the risk of sudden large waves. The search for the missing girl continues amid grief for a family shattered in an instant.