SANTA CRUZ — One person was still missing Monday after disappearing beneath the turbulent coastal waters off West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz over the weekend.
At least a dozen rescue units from local and state agencies were dispatched at approximately 4:45 p.m. Sunday to the area around Lighthouse Field State Beach after receiving reports that two swimmers had jumped off of the cliff into the water and were struggling to swim back to shore.
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According to a release from the Santa Cruz Fire Department, observers told first responders that one individual was able to self-extricate and make it back to dry land while the other was still potentially submerged.
After an initial response that included units from Santa Cruz fire and police, State Parks, Harbor Patrol, lifeguards and the U.S. Coast Guard, it was determined that an extensive search pattern was required to try to locate the missing victim. This required additional units from Scotts Valley and Central Fire districts to be called in along with Marine Rescue and off-duty lifeguards to help conduct specialized search patterns — aided by drone operations — where the victim was last seen.
But after more than an hour of searching, shore-based resources were pulled back while the U.S. Coast Guard remained at the scene to search the area using both a sea vessel and aircraft.
Last July, two San Jose residents visiting the county’s coastline drowned after being pulled into the water near Mitchell’s Cove, also off West Cliff Drive. Multiple water rescues and beach closures were reported in March in Santa Cruz and Capitola after heavy storms and a strong current swept through the area.
The Santa Cruz Fire Department and its allied agencies reminded the public to be extremely careful along the edges of West Cliff Drive and to always be aware of ocean conditions.
