Search Expands For Girl Swept Away By Wave In Southern California

A hunt expanded connected Wednesday for a teenage woman swept into nan water by a ample activity disconnected Southern California's coast, arsenic vulnerable precocious surf conditions persist.

The incident occurred Tuesday evening astatine Treasure Island Beach successful Laguna Beach, wherever nan girl, her mother, and relative were stepping on nan sand. All 3 were pulled into nan water, Laguna Beach Marine Safety Chief Kai Bond said Wednesday.

Two group managed to rescue nan mother and son, who are now successful unchangeable condition. One man who aided nan family subsequently required rescue himself from powerful 10-foot (3-meter) waves by a metropolis lifeguard.

“We’re expanding our hunt to see adjacent beaches, and we’re utilizing divers, rescue vessels and aerial resources to hunt nan area. But astatine this constituent we haven’t recovered her,” Bond said.

Laguna Beach Marine Safety is getting thief from nan Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol and nan U.S. Coast Guard, Bond said.

Many of Southern California’s beaches are expected to spot 5-to 8-foot (1.5-2.5 meter) waves done astatine slightest Thursday night, nan National Weather Service said successful Wednesday surf reports, and still higher successful immoderate places. The formation metropolis of Malibu could spot waves of up to 10 feet (3 meters), nan work said.

In Orange County, wherever nan metropolis of Laguna Beach is located, nan surf tallness is usually beneath 6 feet (about 2 meters), said Philip Gonsalves, a meteorologist pinch nan National Weather Service. He said nan surf successful Orange County had already peaked astatine 10 feet and was expected to commencement trending little wrong nan adjacent 24 hours.

The surf has been peculiarly precocious on beaches facing southbound aliases southwest arsenic ample swells from nan Southern Hemisphere's wintertime storms scope nan area, he said.