UPDATE: Diver locates missing 7-year-old girl swept into ocean in Big Sur.

UPDATE: The Monterey County Sheriff's Office confirmed the body of the missing girl was found on Nov. 16. A diver located the body about 100 yards offshore and roughly a half-mile north of the child's last known location near Garrapata State Beach at about 1:20pm, Nov. 16.

The diver brought the child to shore and notified State Parks, with assistance from the Monterey County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team.

The father has been identified as Yuji Hu, 39, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The child's mother was reportedly treated for hypothermia and later released. Family members of have since clarified that the child was 7, not 5 years old.

Juan Heredia of the Angels Recovery Dive Team said in a Facebook post that he found the child at 2:40pm, Nov. 16. 

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

A multi-agency search is underway for a 5-year-old girl who was swept away by a large ocean wave in Big Sur on Nov. 14. She was last seen wearing a red shirt.

At approximately 12:50pm Friday, Nov. 14, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office was notified of an incident at Garrapata State Beach on Highway 1, just north of Rocky Point Restaurant. A State Parks peace officer/lifeguard found a family in distress near the shoreline, where an adult male was attempting to rescue his 5-year-old daughter after she was pulled out to sea by waves estimated at 15 to 20 feet high.

After he was also swept into the ocean, the mother attempted to reach both of them as her husband held onto his daughter’s hand. She, too, was pulled into the water by the large waves. She was able to get back to shore on her own, and their 2-year-old child was unharmed.

The off-duty peace officer retrieved the father from the water and immediately administered CPR. The mother and father were transported to a local hospital, where the father was pronounced dead. The mother was listed in stable condition with mild hypothermia.

Search efforts continued until about 9pm on Friday, Nov. 14, but were suspended due to poor weather and lightning. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has resumed a multi-agency search involving a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter, the Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team, California State Parks and Cal Fire.

Those driving along Highway 1 through the area are asked to avoid stopping at Garrapata State Beach to allow emergency services sufficient space to conduct their search operations.