Tragedy Strikes in California: Father Loses Life Attempting to Rescue Daughter from Powerful Waves
A devastating incident occurred on Friday at Garrapata State Beach in California, where a father lost his life while trying to rescue his 5-year-old daughter from the ocean. The family was swept away by massive waves, estimated to be between 15-20 feet high, which were brought onshore by a powerful weather system off the California coast.
Evacuation orders are underway for multiple recent burn scars in California as thunderstorms with heavy rainfall could bring rates of over 1 inch per hour. FOX Weather Meteorologist Bayne Froney is LIVE in Malibu with the latest:
Incident Unfolds
An off-duty State Parks Peace Officer/Lifeguard witnessed the family in distress and sprang into action. The father attempted to rescue his daughter, but unfortunately, they were both swept out to sea, with the father holding his daughter’s hand. The mother, who was on the shore, tried to reach out to them but was also pulled into the water. She managed to make it back to shore on her own.
This graphic shows the wave heights off the California coast on Friday, November 14
(FOX Weather)
Search and Rescue Efforts
The off-duty officer was able to reach the father and pull him to shore, where he administered CPR. Both the mother and father were taken to a local hospital, where the father was pronounced deceased. The mother was listed in stable condition, showing signs of hypothermia. The 5-year-old child remains missing, and a search is still ongoing. She was last seen wearing a red shirt.
This tragic incident marks the first death caused by the weather system off California’s coast, which has prompted evacuation warnings due to a flash flooding threat. For more information and updates on this developing story, click here.
Image Source: www.foxweather.com
