The body of a 7-year-old girl swept into the ocean along with her father at California’s Garrapata State Park on Nov. 14 has been recovered, authorities confirmed.
According to an update from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), a diver located the girl about half a mile north of the original incident site around 1:20 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 16. Search and Rescue teams assisted with bringing her to shore. Her identity has not been made public.
Deputies initially responded Friday to reports that high surf — with waves measuring 15 to 20 feet — had pulled the girl into the water at Garrapata State Beach. Her father, 39-year-old Yuji Hu, jumped in to try to save her but was carried farther out and later died at a hospital.
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Hu’s wife also entered the water during the rescue attempt. She was able to make it back to shore and was hospitalized in stable condition with mild hypothermia. A 2-year-old child at the scene was also injured.
Large-scale search efforts were immediately launched, involving California State Parks, the MCSO, the U.S. Coast Guard, CAL FIRE, Monterey County Search and Rescue, and the California Highway Patrol. The Coast Guard also deployed a helicopter to assist.
The operation paused around 9 p.m. on Friday due to hazardous conditions and resumed the next day.
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The incident occurred as the National Weather Service warned beachgoers of dangerous surf and the potential for sudden, powerful waves through Nov. 14, according to SFGate.
Authorities say the family has expressed gratitude to all the agencies and community members who participated in the search and recovery. They have asked for privacy and requested no further contact at this time.
