A man died after being pulled from rocks at Sand Dollar Beach in Big Sur on Tuesday, Oct. 13, following a multi-agency search that included a Coast Guard helicopter.
Big Sur Fire Chief Matt Harris told KSBW the swimmer was reported missing just after 1 p.m. Crews searched for about 20 minutes before finding him on the rocks. Rescuers pulled him out and began CPR immediately, but he did not survive.
The Coast Guard deployed a helicopter to assist in the search. Harris said other agencies also responded but did not specify which ones.
The victim's identity has not been released. The circumstances leading up to his death remain under investigation, according to KSBW.
The death occurred while a National Weather Service coastal flood advisory was in effect for the Big Sur coast and Monterey Bay region through Tuesday afternoon. The advisory warned of breaking waves up to 16 feet, strong rip currents and sneaker waves, according to The Californian. Coastal flooding up to 1.4 feet was possible in low-lying shoreline areas during high tides.
Harris urged anyone near the water to use extreme caution.
"The ocean is unforgiving, you know. And right now, especially with the large tidal movements," Harris said. "The rocks are very slippery. The swell is very powerful. And just to be careful and know … your limitations."
Sand Dollar Beach is the largest public beach on the southern Big Sur coast. The U.S. Forest Service warns that swimming is not advisable because of unpredictable riptide currents and cold water. No lifeguard is on duty.
Warning signs about dangerous surf, currents, rocks and unsafe swimming conditions are posted at the beach, according to the New York Post.
The beach is accessible only by a trail running down a cliff, according to the Forest Service. Residents and visitors heading to the Big Sur coast can check current conditions through the National Weather Service's Monterey office at weather.gov/mtr before venturing near the shoreline.
