A teenage swimmer has been missing for two days after being last seen body surfing off Laguna Creek Beach in Santa Cruz County.
An intensive search, and now recovery effort has been underway since the swimmer, identified as 17-year-old Cash Ebright, went missing on Monday, according to reporting by KTVU.
According to California State Parks Public Safety Superintendent Gabe McKenna, the incident was reported shortly before 6:00 p.m. at Laguna Creek Beach, roughly three miles south of the town of Davenport.
Ebright is the third person to be swept into the ocean in this area of Monterey Bay in just over a week. The body of Conrad Miltko of Chicago was recovered Sept. 14. San Jose resident David Guzman’s body still has not been recovered after he went missing Sept. 12.
Ebright was last seen at the southern portion of the beach wearing black swim trunks.
"The juvenile was not located and a continued search is ongoing this morning," said McKenna.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, Highway Patrol, Santa Cruz Fire, and CAL FIRE have been assisting in the efforts.
"I just don’t know where he is, or if he’s alive or dead. And I just don’t know what to say, it hurts me," Marcus Paleu, a friend of the teen who donned a wetsuit with his surfboard before going into the ocean Tuesday in his own attempt to find Ebright.
Both helicopters and boats have been used in the search, but rescuers did not venture into the rough surf Tuesday.
"The waves can be very calm for periods 20-30 minutes between sets. And then a big set can come in with five to 15 waves and it can cover that entire rock shelf, and sweep people off," said Bryan Kine, a California State Parks lifeguard.
"It’s definitely a perfect storm if you will," said Kine. "We have some big surf. We have some nice weather. More people are going to be interfacing with the ocean and they may not be ready or capable of doing so."
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