New details emerge over Carmel River State Beach tragedy
CARMEL, Calif. (KION) Cal Fire officials believe a wet suit a young girl was wearing could have saved her life when she was swept out to sea.
Rescuers say a local family who came out to enjoy their new inflatable floaters at a Carmel lagoon faced a horrible tragedy on Tuesday.
Their young daughter was suddenly caught in a swift current from the Carmel River as she was playing in a calmer lagoon adjacent to the river. The girl was swept into the ocean.
Her father jumped into the water to try and save her, and soon after, rescuers arrived to help look for both the father and daughter.
Rescuers were able to find the girl 50 yards off the beach in the ocean waters. They took her to the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula to be treated for exposure and hypothermia.
Unfortunately, rescuers found the father in the water about two hours after he had jumped in. He was unresponsive when they tried to do CPR. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. Cal Fire says he was wearing only regular beach attire when he went into the water.
Locals who walk the Carmel River State Beach every day from their homes tell KION the waters there can get very strong very quickly.
"The water I think today is about five feet lower than it was (Tuesday)," said Jeff Mast, a Carmel resident. "Even so, the current out here, I would not want to try and cross it today."
The Carmel River flows into a particular lagoon before the water travels into the ocean. During the winter time, there is a berm - a type of protective barrier - that is opened up so that the area does not flood.
That opening leads into the ocean.
"And that's where the child was swept into the river mouth itself and then taken out to sea," said Assistant Chief George Nunez, who works for Cal Fire in the Monterey area.
"It was a tragedy. And the people that I talked to (Tuesday) and today after we found out the father not being rescued alive shook up the whole neighborhood," said Mast.
The daughter has now been released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
Cal Fire advises people to be aware of the elements when going to the beach, especially if you choose to go into the water.
