The search has been suspended for Santa Cruz beach missing victim Sena Park, a 24-year-old who was swept away by waves at a Northern California beach in Santa Cruz County.
The U.S. Coast Guard announced on the 11th that joint search operations to find Park had been called off. Despite deploying rescue boats, helicopters, and drones, authorities were unable to locate her.
Christopher Sappy, a Coast Guard spokesperson, stated, "We determined whether to suspend the search by evaluating how long someone can survive in the water based on water temperature and the missing person’s build, while also considering rescue crew fatigue and the search area."
Park had been walking through a rock archway with friends at Panther State Beach on the 8th when incoming high tides trapped them. While three members of her group managed to escape, Park was swept out into the ocean.
Rescue Authorities Issue Warnings on Dangerous Tides
Rescue authorities warned that rapidly rising tides can cut off beach escape routes and submerge narrow rock passages or caves in an instant. Similar dangers were highlighted at Yellowbank Beach near where Park went missing, where two college students were swept away by sudden waves while passing through a rock tunnel last June. Both were rescued and rushed to the hospital but ultimately succumbed to their injuries.
