A 39-year-old father and his 7-year-old daughter have been found dead after a powerful wave swept them into the ocean in Monterey County, California, authorities confirmed.
Officials initially reported the girl’s age as 5, but later corrected it to 7.
On Sunday afternoon, a diver located the young girl’s body roughly 100 yards offshore and about half a mile north of the point where she was last seen. Her father had been recovered earlier after extensive search efforts along the coastline.
Rescue teams from multiple agencies responded to the emergency, but dangerous surf conditions and strong currents made the operation extremely challenging.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances, but they believe the pair were standing near the shoreline when an unexpected large wave struck, pulling both into the water.
More information is expected as the case develops.