Search continues for girl swept into ocean at Laguna Beach

Search crews were still combing the water and shoreline near Treasure Island Beach in Laguna Beach after a wave swept a mother and her two children into the ocean just before 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The missing child was reported by local outlets to be 5 years old, and officials said the operation had shifted to a recovery mission.

Bystanders rushed into the surf and managed to pull the mother and one of the children back to shore, according to city officials and local television reports. Two of the bystanders who took part in the rescue were later taken to a hospital in stable condition, underscoring how quickly the emergency spread beyond the family caught in the water.

The Coast Guard, the Laguna Beach Marine Safety Department and the Orange County Sheriff's Department Harbor Patrol joined the search, along with rescue boats, drones and helicopters. Laguna Beach Fire Department crews transported the mother and the rescued child to a local hospital, where officials said they were in stable condition.

The incident happened as a Beach Hazards Statement remained in effect for Southern California, with warnings of dangerous surf and rip currents running through at least Thursday night. Local reports described a historic summer south swell generated off Antarctica, with waves along parts of Orange County measuring 4 to 7 feet and sets reaching 9 feet. At Newport Beach’s The Wedge, some waves reportedly topped 20 feet, a reminder of how powerful the coastal conditions had become.

Laguna Beach Mayor Mark Orgill said the mother, son and daughter had been walking along the sand when a large wave swept them away. The scene near Treasure Island Beach reflected a broader public-safety risk for the coast: powerful surf, rising wave heights and rip currents can turn a familiar shoreline into a danger zone in seconds, especially when families are close to the waterline.