3 People Pulled into the Ocean at a Popular California Beach, Only Weeks After a Similar Incident

A man is still missing after he and two women were swept into the Pacific Ocean at a rocky beach along California’s central coast.

Authorities say the incident happened around 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22, at Soberanes Point in Garrapata State Park. California State Parks notified the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office that three people had been pulled off the rocks and into the water.

Both women managed to reach shore on their own and were taken to a nearby hospital with injuries that have not been disclosed. Search teams are continuing to look for the man, who officials estimate is about 30 years old.

The sheriff’s office said a large, multi-agency rescue effort was launched, involving California State Parks, Cal Fire, California Highway Patrol, Monterey County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, and the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard assisted with both a helicopter and an ocean-going vessel.

During the operation, a Coast Guard helicopter crew spotted what appeared to be a body in the surf at about 4:24 p.m. But responders lost sight of it in the rough conditions and were unable to recover anything from the water.

The missing man was last seen wearing a white turban, a black shirt, black shorts, and a black vest-style jacket.

Search efforts were paused Saturday evening because of darkness and concerns for responder safety, and they were scheduled to resume Sunday morning, Nov. 23.

The rescue comes just days after another tragedy in the same park. On Nov. 14, deputies responded after a young girl was swept into the ocean by waves estimated at 15 to 20 feet. Her father entered the water to try to save her and was also carried away. He was later pulled from the surf but died at a hospital. The girl’s mother was also pulled into the water and survived with mild hypothermia. A diver later located the child’s body about half a mile north of where she disappeared on Nov. 16.