Dad dead, 5-year-old girl missing after wave pulls them into ocean in Monterey County

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The girl's mom managed to escape from the water.

Dad dead, 5-year-old girl missing after wave pulls them into ocean in Monterey County

Rescuers are searching for a 5-year-old girl who is missing after being swept away by a wave in Monterey County, California.

A 39-year-old father is dead and the search for a 5-year-old girl is ongoing after a large wave pulled them into the ocean in Monterey County, California, authorities said.

A 15-to-20 foot wave swept the little girl and her dad into the Pacific Ocean just before 1 p.m. Friday near the Rocky Point Restaurant, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said.

The father was identified as Yuji Hu, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the sheriff's office said.

When the mom tried to reach out to the girl and the dad, the mom was also swept into the water, authorities said.

Rescuers are searching for a 5-year-old girl who is missing after being swept away by a wave in Monterey County, California. Monterey County Sheriff

While the dad held onto the 5-year-old, the mom made it back to shore, joining a 2-year-old who wasn't hurt, authorities said.

The dad was rescued from the ocean and given CPR, authorities said. He was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead, according to the sheriff's office.

The mom was hospitalized in stable condition with mild hypothermia, the sheriff's office said.

A Coast Guard helicopter is a part of Saturday's search for the missing 5-year-old.

ABC News' Jennifer Watts contributed to this report.

weRallAddicts on November 16th, 2025 at 05:56 UTC »

I’m so so sorry. I lost my daughter in a similar way. She was never recovered. This mom will need to be held and supported by her community. TRAGIC. I can’t even read the article.

AcidicNightHawk on November 16th, 2025 at 04:57 UTC »

The area they say this happened is very rough coastline, mostly small rocky cliffs, no sandy beaches. It’s easy to walk up to what you think is the waterline between sets and then all of a sudden 3 to 5 waves of larger size hit.

giskardwasright on November 16th, 2025 at 04:11 UTC »

Awful all around. I can't imagine what mom is going through right now.