Body of 7-Year-Old Girl Swept Out to Sea Found After Father Drowned Trying to Save Her in Big Sur

 

Authorities in California say the body of a young girl discovered along Garrapata Beach appears to match that of a 7-year-old who was swept out to sea in Big Sur on Friday. According to Mid Coast Fire Brigade Chief Cheryl Goetz, the child’s body washed ashore around 1:25 p.m. on Sunday. The remains will be transported to Salinas for formal identification by the coroner.

The girl was initially reported to be 5 years old, but family members later confirmed she was 7, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said. Her father, 39-year-old Yuji Hu of Calgary, Alberta, drowned while trying to rescue her after powerful waves—estimated at 15 to 20 feet—pulled her into the ocean at Garrapata State Park. Hu’s wife also went into the water in an attempt to save them but was unable to reach them; she made it back to shore and was hospitalized for hypothermia. A 2-year-old sibling was uninjured.

A passerby and an off-duty California State Parks officer managed to pull Hu from the water and performed CPR, but he was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Authorities reported that the incident happened shortly before 12:50 p.m. on Friday. A large-scale search for the missing child continued through Friday and Saturday.

Officials noted that a recent storm had generated dangerous swells and unusually large waves. The National Weather Service had issued a “beach hazards warning” through November 14, urging the public to be alert to strong surf and unpredictable wave activity. It remains unclear whether warning signs were posted or if beach access had been restricted prior to the tragedy.

Garrapata State Park officials have since reminded visitors to remain vigilant near the shoreline and to never turn their back on the ocean.