Sneaker Waves Claim Another Life In CA, Third Incident This Winter

Sneaker waves have been in the news due to several deadly accidents in which people have drowned due to the sudden activity, and a woman in California fell victim this weekend as well to the dangerous waves.

In November, a nearly all of a family drowned with a sole survivor of the four members remaining ashore due to sneaker waves in Big Lagoon, and earlier this month, a man died in a similar incident near the Point Reyes National Seashore.

In both of those incidents, the victims had attempted to save a dog that had entered the water before perishing in the surf.

The latest sneaker wave incident occurred in Shelter Cove, California, and Shelter Cove Volunteer Fire Department Duty Officer Cheryl Antony says that a call came in at about 10:30 AM Sunday about the woman swept to sea:

“The person who drowned was from Shelter Cove … She was on the beach (Little Black Sands Beach) with her boyfriend walking a dog and suddenly, a big sneaker wave came and pulled her out to sea.”

The woman, 32, was not identified, and authorities say her boyfriend was spared after he jumped up on a rock as the wave approached.

Following the most recent sneaker wave death, the Coast Guard issued a warning about the risk of approaching the water during the winter in Northern California:

“Winter is an especially dangerous time (on beaches in Northern California), and sneaker waves can catch beach goers by surprise, washing them into the sea … People walking along the beach should not turn their back to the ocean.”

The woman’s body was recovered after a 45 minute search.