Laguna Beach search called off for child swept away by wave

A desperate nighttime search unfolded after a 5-year-old girl was swept away by a rogue wave near Laguna Beach Tuesday.

Video of the search — which started as a rescue mission, turned into to a recovery mission and has now been called off — showed emergency crews and volunteers on the beach and cliffside using high-powered flashlights to light up the rough waters as the little girl’s family still held out hope she’d be found alive.

The video, obtained by The California Post, showed just how dangerous the surf was when the little girl went missing.

The initial search also continued into the daytime Wednesday, as more video showed rescuers searching the waters for the young girl after she, her sibling and her mom were dragged into the ocean.

The frightening incident unfolded around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday near Treasure Island Beach, where the Marine Safety Department was called after reports of multiple swimmers in distress.

Officials said the family was caught in dangerous conditions near shore and pulled into the ocean. Bystanders jumped in and rescued the woman and one child, but the girl remained missing.

A statement from the U.S. The Coast Guard on Wednesday, announced that the search for the girl had been suspended, pending further developments.

Crews “searched for more than 30 hours and covered more than 90 square miles” before suspending efforts, the agency said.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the child’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” Capt. Stacey Crecy, commander of Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach said.

“Suspending a search is an extremely difficult decision. We launched assets and responded as quickly as possible, continuously searching throughout the night and until sunset on June 10, 2026.”

“We worked hand-in-hand with first responders in Laguna Beach to carry out a coordinated and thorough search of the area,” it added.

Two bystanders who assisted in rescuing the mother and boy were taken to a local hospital with unspecified injuries. Officials said both were in stable condition.

The little girl’s disappearance came as a powerful south swell battered Southern California beaches, creating hazardous conditions along the coast.

Multiple agencies worked together from above by helicopters and in the water by boats, including the coast guard, Laguna Beach Marine Safety, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Harbor Patrol in attempts to locate the missing girl.

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