Tragedy struck over the weekend as a 5-year-old girl, identified as Naretzi Navarrete from Merced, lost her life and her grandfather went missing after a wave reportedly swept them off Martins Beach in Half Moon Bay, Northern California.

According to Coast Guard officials, the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon. San Mateo County Fire personnel discovered Naretzi Navarrete, and despite being transported to an area hospital, she was pronounced dead.

In a relentless search effort covering 100 square miles, rescue teams spent 22 hours looking for the 54-year-old grandfather before suspending the search on Sunday afternoon, KTLA reported.

“The decision to suspend search efforts is one of the hardest decisions to make, but our crews searched for nearly 24 hours without any sightings of the missing person,” said Capt. Jordan Baldueza, deputy commander, Coast Guard Sector San Francisco. 

At approximately 1:20 p.m. on Saturday, a distress call reporting two individuals being swept out to sea prompted a response from Coast Guard officials.

Swift action followed, involving the deployment of a helicopter and a rescue boat to assist in the search.

Unfortunately, the outcome was the recovery of Naretzi Navarrete. She was airlifted to Stanford Hospital, where she was subsequently pronounced dead.

Authorities are cautioning the public about the ocean’s hazards during this season, emphasizing the weather-related risks, as reported by KTLA.

The National Weather Service has issued a beach hazards advisory for the area, extending through noon on Sunday, highlighting the potential threat of sneaker waves and rip currents.

Written by B.C. Begley