Heavy waves from the storm that caused part of the Santa Cruz Pier to collapse are also believed to be the cause of the death of a man and the disappearance of another man who was found trapped under debris along a stretch of Monterey Bay shoreline.
Emergency crews were called to Sunset State Beach at 11:30 a.m. Monday to rescue a man trapped under debris in high surf. The man was released and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. His identity will not be released until his family is notified.
Meanwhile, at Marina State Beach, about 25 miles further from the coast, authorities called off the search for a man washed out to sea around noon due to dangerous conditions, according to the Marina Police Department. A sheriff’s office spokeswoman said the two incidents are not believed to be related.
Police said bystanders at Marina State Beach reported that a man had been swept into the water by high waves. They were unable to help him due to large waves and strong currents.
First responders did not notice the missing man when they arrived at the beach. They began searching about 300 meters north of Dunes Drive where the man went into the water.
The U.S. Coast Guard and California Highway Patrol searched by air and sea, but were unable to locate the man. At 2 p.m., the search was deemed too dangerous due to worsening weather conditions. The identity of the missing man has not been released by police.
The National Weather Service issued a high surf warning Monday for California’s northern coast, including Santa Cruz, Point Reyes, San Francisco and northern Monterey Bay, asking people to stay off beaches until 6 p.m. Tuesday due to the risk to life. .
“Large waves could cross the coast without warning, pulling people into the sea from rocks, piers and beaches,” the Bureau of Meteorology said. “A sudden immersion in cold water can cause cold water shock, even for the most experienced swimmer.”
On Monday afternoon, crashing waves caused more than 100 feet of the Santa Cruz Pier to collapse, throwing a city employee and two contractors into the cold water, city officials said at a news conference.
Two of them were rescued by area lifeguards, while the third was able to evacuate to safety on his own. City officials said workers were being sent to assess the pier’s stability.
This powerful wave is the result of a series of atmospheric river events that are bringing heavy rain to Northern California, Oregon, and Washington.
Times staff writer Salvador Hernandez contributed to this report.
