Fisherman dies after being swept off Big Sur rocks
A Bay Area fisherman died Saturday after a rogue wave swept him off the rocks in the Jade Cove area of Big Sur, according to a Monterey County deputy sheriff.
Deputy Jesse Villasenor said the man who died apparently was part of a group of three who, despite the dank, rainy weather, had been fishing in the area south of Sand Dollar Beach for several hours.
According to early reports, the second fisherman saw his companion go into the water, and the third man, who spoke some English, was able to get a phone connection to call 911 a little after noon, Villasenor said.
Various agencies, including Big Sur Fire, State Parks, U.S. Forest Service, the sheriff’s office and Coast Guard responded, Villasenor said.
However, he added, personnel who arrived on the call first in that remote area and under such treacherous conditions weren’t equipped for an ocean rescue. It took about an hour for the Coast Guard helicopter to arrive from San Francisco.
They were unable to get to the man soon enough to save his life.
“By the time the rangers got there, he was already floating face down, not moving,” Villasenor said.
CHP’s H70 helicopter based in Paso Robles was grounded by fog, Villasenor added.
According to KSBW TV, The U.S. Coast Guard recovered the body a little after 2 p.m., adding that the Monterey County Coroner’s Office is now handling this investigation.
No further information had been released about the victim as of about 2 p.m. Sunday, Villasenor said. Officials might still have been in the process of notifying family members.
The deputy said he could only conjecture about why the fisherman was swept out to sea. “Perhaps he was looking down, baiting his hook, and not paying attention to the waves.”
The incident once again highlights the danger of sneaker waves, he said, which break suddenly and can surprise people who aren’t watching the water.
As law enforcers and marine experts have said for decades, “Never turn your back on the ocean.”
This story was originally published March 20, 2022 at 2:56 PM.
