A Calgary man has died trying to save his daughter after she was swept up by a large ocean wave at a California beach, police say.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s office said in a news release that it happened at the Garrapata State Beach, south of the city of Monterey, on Nov. 14.
Police say 39-year-old Calgarian Yuji Hu, who was there with his wife and two children, went into the water to save his seven-year-old daughter after she was swept up by a wave around 15-20 feet high.
While trying to save her, the two were pulled farther in, which led the mother to try and help. She was also caught by the wave, but she was able to make it back to shore.
Meanwhile, their two-year-old child was nearby but remained unharmed.
A Good Samaritan and an off-duty state parks officer managed to pull the Calgary man out of the water and began CPR before paramedics arrived.
Hu and his wife were rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Officers say Hu’s wife, who hasn’t been named by the sheriff’s office, was listed as being in stable condition with mild hypothermia.
Body of daughter recovered
At approximately 1:20 p.m. local time Sunday, a diver found a body roughly 100 yards offshore and about a half-mile north of where the girl was last seen.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office say the diver brought the child to shore and notified authorities.
It has since been confirmed the body is that of the missing child.
Police say the girl was initially reported to be five-years-old, but family who arrived clarified she was seven.
They add that the family is grateful to all agencies, personnel, and community members involved in the search and recovery efforts.
The family is continuing to request privacy and don’t wish to make further statements at this time, according to police.
Thunderstorms increase flood risk after atmospheric river moves through California
The incident comes as an atmospheric river moved through California, leading to several deaths and dousing much of the state.
An atmospheric river is a plume or bands of moisture that extends across the Pacific to near Hawaii, which can cause snowfall and heavy rain when it makes land. A Pineapple Express is an example of one. This one in the West Coast state formed on Wednesday, with rain spreading out over the southern parts.
“Due to the abundant rainfall the past couple of days, it will not take as much rainfall to cause additional flooding/rockslide conditions,” the U.S. National Weather Service said Sunday.
According to the California Highway Patrol, a 71-year-old man died Friday after his vehicle was swept off a flooded bridge in Sutter County north of Sacramento.
In addition, the U.S. Coast Guard says a wooden boat reportedly carrying migrants to the U.S. from Mexico overturned off the coast of San Diego amid a storm, leaving at least four dead and four hospitalized Saturday.
Meanwhile, the weather service has flood advisories in place Sunday afternoon for California cities L.A., Ventura, and Santa Barbara, stating that localized showers were still possible after the two days of heavy rain.
With files from The Associated Press