Rescue crews have suspended their search for a man swept out to sea Tuesday morning in Pacifica.
Buoys indicated the waves were as high as 19 feet by the Pacifica Pier when the incident happened, with waves so large the pier had to be closed down. A witness said the victim was standing on some rocks when a large wave swept him out to sea at about 7:43 a.m. near Beach Blvd. and Paloma Ave.
Two helicopters and two Coast Guard rescue lifeboats participated in the search, which lasted for five hours and focused on water between Pacifica and Daly City.
"(A witness) stated that he saw the subject in the water, he got knocked off the rocks, swept in by a large surf line. He was yelling and screaming and nobody could get to him. So he was last seen about 20 yards off the surf in the whitewater," said Battalion Chief Jeff Huntze with the North County Fire Authority.
One woman told KCBS Radio she saw a man and a woman arrive at the beach and park near the water. The man hopped a railing and was walking on the ocean side close to the surf. A few minutes later, ambulances arrived on the scene.
Officials questioned the woman who was with him.
A high surf warning is in effect Tuesday until 5 p.m. telling people not to go in or near the water, with meteorologists warning of waves of an extremely dangerous size, currents, and bone chilling water temperatures.
With water temperatures in the low 50s, survivability is very difficult in the water after 45 minutes.
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