Searchers expanded their effort on Wednesday in laguna beach after a girl was swept into the ocean with her family on Tuesday evening. The Laguna Beach Marine Safety Department responded around 7:30 p.m. to a call about swimmers in distress.
Kai Bond on the search
Kai Bond, the Marine Safety chief, said a large wave pulled the family into the ocean. People nearby rescued the mother and her son, but the girl remained missing as crews searched off the coast.
Bond said, “A large wave came up and pulled them into the ocean” and added, “We’re walking down every avenue possible to locate [her].” The search expanded after overnight and morning efforts along the Laguna Beach coast did not locate her.
More than 30 responders
More than 30 people took part in the search, with underwater and aerial crews joining the effort. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Coast Guard assisted as searchers widened the area around Treasure Island Beach.
The response unfolded while hazardous beach conditions remained in place for the San Diego and Orange County coastlines through Thursday afternoon. A high surf advisory also covered Catalina, the Santa Barbara islands, the Malibu Coast and all Los Angeles County beaches.
Southern California surf
Philip Gonsalves, the lead meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego, said, “The winter storms that they have in the South Pacific generate elevated swells and especially long-period elevated swells, and those swells make it to the coastal Southern California.” He also said, “Not only can a wave break over rocks and drag you into the water, but it will also drag you out beyond the surf zone.”
At Newport Beach, where the Wedge drew crowds, waves were reportedly as high as 20 feet. Brian O’Rourke, the chief lifeguard, said his department made 105 rescues on Tuesday alone, and Mike Ure, a Newport Fire Department battalion chief, said, “We have multiple people able to go, and they’ll coordinate with the other patrol units.”
O’Rourke said there had not been any serious injuries at that point, and he advised the public to speak with a lifeguard before going into the water. For the family in Laguna Beach, the focus stayed on the search itself: a child still missing, and every available team still looking.
