Authorities have recovered a body from the ocean off a Northern California beach, not far from where swimmer Erica Fox was reported missing earlier this month in what investigators believe may have been a shark attack.
On Saturday, Dec. 27, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook news release that a body was recovered from the water south of Davenport Beach. Because the location is close to the area where the Monterey County swimmer disappeared, the sheriff’s office said it is coordinating with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and the Pacific Grove Police Department.
Cal Fire firefighters, who assisted at the scene, shared photos on Facebook showing a rope system being used to move the body from the beach up to the bluffs.
Authorities have not publicly confirmed the person’s identity or gender.
However, on Dec. 28, Fox’s father told ABC’s Santa Cruz affiliate KSBW — as reported by ABC News — that family members recognized the body as Fox’s based on the clothing she was wearing when she went missing.
Fox, 55, was reported missing after entering the water near Lovers Point in Pacific Grove, Monterey County, on Dec. 21. In a statement shared on Instagram, Pacific Grove Police said the search began Sunday, Dec. 21, continued into Monday, Dec. 22, and was suspended after more than 15 hours of operations spanning more than 84 square nautical miles.
“The swimmer was identified as Erica Fox, a resident of Monterey County,” police said, adding that the City of Pacific Grove and the City Council extended condolences to Fox’s family and loved ones.
Petty Officer Christopher Sappey of the U.S. Coast Guard previously confirmed that a shark sighting had been reported around the time Fox disappeared.
“The person who reported the shark sighting claimed they saw a shark breach the water with what appeared to be a human body in its mouth,” Sappey said, per SFGATE. “They then witnessed the shark submerge below the waterline without resurfacing.”
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He added, “I can confirm that there was a reported sighting in the area, however we cannot necessarily correlate this sighting with the missing person as there is no confirming evidence of that.”
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said it would release more information as it becomes available as the investigation continues.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, Cal Fire and the Pacific Grove Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday, Dec. 29.
