Massive waves at a Monterey County beach claimed the lives of a Canadian father and his young daughter Sunday after they were swept into the ocean by a towering wave, authorities said.
Yuji Hu, 39, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and his 7-year-old daughter Anzi Hu died Friday when a massive wave, estimated between 15 and 20 feet high, pulled the girl from the shoreline at Garrapata State Beach, according to the Monterey County Sheriff's Office.
The beach, situated along Highway 1 just north of the Rocky Point Restaurant, became the scene of a frantic rescue attempt when Hu waded into the turbulent waters to reach his daughter. As he extended his arms toward her, the powerful surf swept both of them farther offshore.
Witnessing the chaos, Anzi's mother rushed into the ocean in a desperate bid to help her family members. She too was caught by the overwhelming waves but managed to fight her way back to shore. A 2-year-old child was there during the incident and was unharmed.
A quick-thinking beachgoer and an off-duty California State Parks officer pulled Hu from the water and began CPR immediately. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. Anzi's mother received treatment for hypothermia and was released.
The effort, led by the sheriff's office, included assistance from California State Parks, CAL FIRE, the U.S. Coast Guard, Monterey County Search and Rescue, and California State Parks rescue divers.
Additional helicopter support came from the California Highway Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard, and Naval Air Station Lemoore.
On Nov. 16, California State Parks officers and lifeguards continued their search at the beach. At around 1:20 p.m., a diver found a body roughly 100 yards offshore and about half a mile north of where Anzi was last seen. The child was brought to shore, and Monterey County Sheriff's Search and Rescue aided with recovery.
The Monterey County Coroner's Office identified the recovered body as Anzi Hu. Initial reports had listed her age as 5, but family members clarified she was actually 7 years old.
The family has said they were thankful to all the responding agencies and community members while requesting privacy as they navigate their grief.
The National Weather Service had issued warnings for beaches in the area through Friday evening due to the potential for large waves to strike higher than usual on beaches or jetties, catching visitors by surprise.