California officials find body of missing five-year-old girl swept out to sea
Authorities recovered the body of a five-year-old girl who was swept into the ocean by a wave while walking with her family on a beach in Orange County.
California officials have located the body of a five-year-old girl who was swept into the ocean by turbulent waters on Tuesday evening. The girl, her mother, and her brother were walking along the shore of Treasure Island Beach in Orange County when a wave engulfed them. Two bystanders rescued the mother and son, but could not find the girl, according to ABC News. A search lasting nearly 30 hours covered 90 square miles, with rescuers facing poor underwater visibility and strong currents. An aerial search spotted a body on Thursday morning about a quarter-mile north of where the incident occurred, and it was positively identified as the girl. Laguna Beach Mayor Mark Orgill expressed his deepest condolences, calling it one of the most heartbreaking incidents he has witnessed. The National Weather Service warned of a high risk of rip currents, fast-moving channels of water that can carry swimmers away from shore, persisting through Thursday evening. Kai Bond, the city's marine safety chief, urged beachgoers to understand their abilities and stay out of the water if not expert swimmers.
