It was the kind of beach day that hid its danger behind sun and spray — until it broke every family’s heart. On Friday afternoon, a father, his heart full of hope, plunged into rolling waves at Garrapata State Beach near Carmel — and in the span of seconds the sea took a little girl with him. Today, authorities report a body matching the description of the missing 5‑year‑old has been found, shifting the rescue to a heartbreaking recovery.
The family from Canada had come for a moment of togetherness: a father, 39‑year‐old Yuji Hu of Calgary; his wife; their daughters aged 5 and 2. The afternoon sun was out but the sea was unrelenting. The waves that swept the older daughter in took the father in his tracks, and as the mother dived in behind them, the youngest child watched from shore.
Authorities say the waves were estimated at 15 to 20 feet high and surf conditions were unusually treacherous. A lifeguard on duty at the time reported the father held his daughter’s hand as both were pulled into the water. The mother managed to struggle back to shore, treated for hypothermia, while the younger sibling remained unharmed.
On Friday afternoon, the scene turned chaotic: emergency crews rushed to the beach after reports of a “water rescue incident.” An off‑duty state parks officer and a beach visitor found Mr. Hu and pulled him from the waves, beginning CPR on the sand. He was rushed to hospital where he died.
Search efforts for the missing girl began almost immediately, with the U.S. Coast Guard, Cal Fire and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office all joining in. Helicopters and shoreline teams scoured the area. By Sunday afternoon, the large‑scale operation had been suspended due to poor lighting and weather; yet on the same day, a body matching the girl’s description washed ashore.
Mid‑Coast Fire Chief Cheryl Goetz confirmed the body was discovered at about 1:25 p.m. Sunday, and has since been taken to the coroner for formal identification and next‑of‑kin notification. Officials say while it strongly appears to be the missing girl, confirmation will take time.
At the center of all this is a family broken by circumstance, heroes made in the sand, and a coastline that can turn in a flash. Authorities have reminded beachgoers that when “beach hazard” warnings are posted and waves surge, even a walk near the water can turn treacherous. The warning now echoes with even greater force at Garrapata.
The commotion on the coast has quieted, but the grief and questions remain. Who carried the little girl into that surge? What if the series of waves was a rogue sneaker wave fueled by high winds and swell? Experts say such sudden surges can travel far and catch even the cautious off‑guard.
In the end, the tragedy speaks to the raw power of the Pacific, the fragility of human moments, and a father’s final act of pure love. A family from far away came in search of a memory, and instead left with one last, sorrowful image of hope swallowed by the sea.
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