The latest California beach incident led to the death of a 5-year-old girl after the victim—along with her grandfather—was swept away by waves.
Authorities said that the terrifying incident occurred on Saturday, Nov. 25, at Martins Beach in California; near Half Moon Bay. They added that the victims were swept by the waves into the sea at around 1:00 p.m.
Unfortunately, the search and rescue operation for the grandfather, who is still missing, has been suspended. Here are other details about the latest California beach incident.
California Beach Incident: 5-Year-Old Girl Dies, Search for Missing Grandfather Suspended
According to Fox News' latest report, the San Matero County Fire was able to rescue the 5-year-old girl. Responders rushed her to a nearby hospital.
Unfortunately, she was pronounced dead. Meanwhile, the 54-year-old grandfather is still missing, as confirmed by officials on Sunday, Nov. 16.
The U.S. Coast Guard said that they suspended the search and rescue for the missing man after responders scoured 100 square miles for over 22 hours.
"The decision to suspend search efforts is one of the hardest decisions to make, but our crews searched for nearly 24 hours without any sightings of the missing person," explained Capt. Jordan Baldueza.
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends affected by this very tragic event," added the Coast Guard Sector San Francisco's deputy commander.
Based on his statements, they already consider the grandfather dead. But, they haven't officially released a statement about the poor man.
As of writing, the U.S. Coast Guard hasn't confirmed if they will conduct another search to find the missing man (or his body).
Read also: Gilgo Beach Murders: Rex Heuermann Tied to More Sex Workers' Death; New Witnesses Come Forward
California Waves Getting Worse
In August, the Los Angeles Times reported that ocean waves along California's coast and other areas were getting higher and more powerful.
Experts said that this is because of the worsening climate change, which left no part of the sea unaltered. Waves are becoming worse due to the melting glaciers, as well as increasing temperatures.
To inform Californians and other people visiting the U.S. state, the National Weather Service issued a warning regarding the increased risk of dangerous rip currents and sneaker waves, especially along the Bay Area.
"Long period swell and big tidal swings mean a lot of water will be moving at the coast and in the Bay," said NWS after the unfortunate incident that killed the 5-year-old girl.
