A man from Calgary and his seven-year-old daughter tragically lost their lives in California after being swept into the Pacific Ocean, according to officials.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office reported that Yuji Hu, 39, was with his wife and two children last Friday when a wave around six meters high carried away his daughter into the ocean.
In an attempt to rescue their daughter, both Hu and his wife were also dragged into the water, as stated by the office.
Subsequently, a beachgoer and an off-duty California park officer managed to retrieve Hu from the ocean and administered resuscitation efforts, while his wife was able to return to the beach unaided.
A statement released on Facebook by the sheriff’s office disclosed that the girl’s body was located by a diver on Sunday. Initially thought to be five years old, the family later clarified that she was seven.
“The family expressed their appreciation to all the agencies, staff, and community members involved in the search and recovery operations. They are asking for privacy and have opted not to provide further comments at this time,” the statement read.
The sheriff’s office noted that the couple’s two-year-old child was unharmed, and the woman received treatment for mild hypothermia.
Delaying the announcement of finding the girl’s body until the family was informed, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office mentioned that the diver discovered her about 100 meters offshore and nearly a kilometer north of her last known position.
The extensive search mission, which included the U.S. Coast Guard, California’s fire service, divers, and a helicopter scouring for the girl, was called off after operating a command post from sunrise to sunset on Saturday.
According to a California government website, Garrapata State Beach is a state park featuring two beach areas and a 15-meter-high cliff overlooking the Monterey coastline.