Searchers recovered the body of a five-year-old girl Thursday morning, ending a nearly 30-hour rescue operation after she was pulled into the sea by a wave in Orange County.
The girl was walking along Treasure Island Beach in Laguna Beach on Tuesday evening with her mother and brother when turbulent waters engulfed all three. Two bystanders quickly pulled the mother and brother to safety, but the girl disappeared into the ocean.
The search that followed covered 90 square miles of water where rescuers battled poor visibility and powerful currents. An aerial team spotted a body Thursday morning approximately a quarter-mile north of where the incident occurred. Laguna Beach authorities positively identified the remains as the missing child, and her family has been notified.
Laguna Beach Mayor Mark Orgill called the tragedy devastating. "This is one of the most heartbreaking incidents I have witnessed during my time serving this community," he said in a statement.
The incident unfolded as the beach faced dangerous surf conditions. The National Weather Service had warned of high rip current risk in Orange County, with swells reaching 10 feet. Kai Bond, the city's marine safety chief, released a video Tuesday urging beachgoers to exercise extreme caution and stay out of the water unless they were experienced swimmers.
"Please know that when you come to the beach that you need to understand your abilities. And if you're not an expert, you need to stay out of the water," Bond said.
The hazardous ocean conditions were expected to continue through Thursday evening, according to the National Weather Service.
Author James Rodriguez: "A preventable tragedy that underscores how quickly the ocean can turn lethal, especially when warnings go unheeded."
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