The father who was killed after trying to save his 5-year-old daughter from the surf near Big Sur on Friday has been identified as 39-year-old Yuji Hu of Canada, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said.
Hu, of Calgary, a province in Alberta, was pulled from the water by another beachgoer and an off-duty California State Parks peace officer, and was pronounced dead at a local hospital. His daughter remains missing, authorities said.
The Sheriff’s Office said Hu entered the water after his daughter was “swept off the shoreline by waves estimated to be 15-20 feet high.” The waves were the result of winds of up to 70 mph that were part of the same weather system that drenched the Los Angeles region this weekend, the National Weather Service said.
The incident occurred at Garrapata Beach, along Highway 1 just north of Rocky Point Restaurant.
The child’s mother also entered the water in an attempt to assist. She was able to make it back to shore, and was also transported to the local hospital and treated for mild hypothermia. A 2-year-old child was not hurt.
A large-scale search effort for the girl had resumed Saturday morning and continued through sunset — a joint effort led by the county Sheriff’s Office with help from various state agencies and the U.S. Coast Guard. However, the operation has since been suspended.
State parks officials were to maintain personnel on scene “to continue shoreline and accessible-area searches on foot” on Sunday, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The Sheriff’s Office said the family has requested privacy and did not wish to issue a statement.
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