1 dead, 2 missing as Northern California coastline hit by large waves

One person died on a Santa Cruz County beach and another was missing in Monterey County Monday after large waves battered the Northern California coastline amid a high surf warning.

Santa Cruz County officials said California State Parks and Fire crews went to Sunset State Beach around 11:30 a.m. for reports of a man trapped under debris.

Debris washed up by a large wave had trapped the man, the county said. He was rescued and taken to the hospital, where he later died.

The death comes after the National Weather Service issued a high surf warning that remains in effect through noon Tuesday for San Francisco, the North Bay coast including Point Reyes National Seashore, the Peninsula coast, the Monterey Bay, and Big Sur Coast. Breaking waves of 30 to 35 feet are expected along the coast.

Large waves also hit the Santa Cruz wharf at around 12:45 p.m., causing part of the wharf to collapse and sending three people into the water.  

Life guards were able to pull two of the three construction workers out of the water, with the third making it out of the surf on their own.

At Marina State Beach, about 30 minutes south of Sunset State Beach, a man went missing around noon after being pulled into the water by a high surf. Marina police said people in the area tried to help but extremely large waves and strong currents thwarted their rescue attempts.

Rescue crews went to where the man had entered the water, near Dunes Drive, but could not get a “visual confirmation” him. A search was launched, involving the US Coast Guard and the California Highway Patrol’s Air unit, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

Marina police said the search was called off at 2 p.m. as conditions worsened and made it dangerous for crews.

The identity of the man was not released by police. 

Another person went missing at Pebble Beach, south of Monterey. Cal Fire said crews responded to Ocean Road in Pebble Beach after it was reported someone was swept off the rocks into the water. 

A search was launched, but it was later suspended due to conditions on the water. According to Cal Fire, the Coast Guard will be launching a recovery search once conditions improve in the next couple of days.

In the North Bay, the Sonoma County Fire District said three people were rescued after being overtaken by a wave. The fire district said they were swept off the edge of Scotty’s Creek, around 12:30 p.m.

One of them was found clinging to rocks. The two others were rescued after they had been carried upstream by a wave. The fire district said two were taken to the hospital and one was released at the scene.