SANTA CRUZ, CA — Crews in Santa Cruz County are still searching for a 24-year-old woman officials believe may have been swept into the ocean after rising tides trapped her and three friends at Panther Beach State Park on Sunday night.
CAL FIRE CZU San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit said responders were sent to the beach at about 8:30 p.m. on Sunday. Three people were able to get free as the water rose, but the fourth member of the group was not, and officials said she was likely carried out to sea.
The search has involved multiple agencies and has continued through daylight windows when conditions allowed. By Tuesday afternoon, drones and aircraft were still being used to try to locate the woman.
How the tide turned a beach visit into a rescue operation
Officials said the group had gone into the rock keyhole area of the beach when the tide began coming in. That part of Panther Beach opens into a cove through a narrow rock archway, and at high tide it can fill with water quickly.
CAL FIRE CZU warned that ocean conditions can shift fast along the Northern California coast. In its public safety message, the agency said a scenic beach outing can become dangerous in an instant when high tide cuts off escape routes.
The agency also urged beachgoers to check tide schedules before visiting. It said narrow formations, caves and alcoves can become hazardous when rising water blocks the way back out.
Search crews worked through the night and returned Monday morning
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said the search began as an extensive response after the incident Sunday night. Drones, helicopters and crews on the ground were used in the first phase of the operation.
Once darkness fell, responders had to stop and restart the effort the next morning. On Monday, aerial teams and boats joined the search, but officials said there was still no sign of the woman by nightfall.
The operation was again halted when it became dark and then resumed later. Officials said by Tuesday afternoon, the search was still active.
Why Panther Beach can become especially dangerous at high tide
Panther Beach State Park includes a rock archway that opens to a cove, a feature that can appear passable when the tide is low. When water rises, however, that same area can quickly become enclosed.
That is what made Sunday night’s incident especially dangerous, officials said. Four people were in the rock keyhole area when the water started rising, leaving only a brief window to get out before the tide closed off the route.
CAL FIRE CZU said coastal visitors should avoid confined spaces such as rock arches, caves and alcoves when the tide is moving in. The agency stressed that conditions can change rapidly and that escape routes may disappear before people realize they are cut off.
Coast Guard joins the response as conditions remain uncertain
The U.S. Coast Guard is helping with the search, adding another federal agency to the effort along the coast. Its involvement underscores how seriously crews are treating the possibility that the woman was taken offshore by the incoming tide.
Officials have not said whether any personal items or clues have been recovered, and they have not given any updated information about the woman’s condition. The search remains focused on finding her in and around the water off Panther Beach.
Local agencies are continuing to coordinate as weather and light conditions allow. As of Tuesday afternoon, the search had not produced a confirmed result.
Officials urge beachgoers to avoid rescue attempts and call 911
CAL FIRE CZU also used the incident to reinforce safety advice for anyone who sees someone pulled into the surf. The agency said bystanders should not try to save the person themselves if they are in danger of being swept away.
Instead, officials say witnesses should keep track of the person’s location and contact emergency services immediately. The warning is meant to prevent a second victim from entering the water during a fast-moving coastal emergency.
The message is especially important on beaches with rock features, where wave action and tide changes can quickly trap people. In this case, authorities say the rising tide turned a beach outing into a search that has stretched across several days.