The effort to locate a teenage girl who was carried away by a large wave at a Southern California beach intensified on Wednesday. High surf continued to hit the coast. The incident occurred at Treasure Island Beach in Laguna Beach on Tuesday evening, according to Marine Safety Chief Kai Bond.

During the unfortunate event, the girl, her mother, and brother were on the shore when the wave carried them into the ocean. Good Samaritans on the scene managed to rescue the mother and son, both of whom are now stable. A man who aided in the rescue also needed assistance due to the towering waves, which were approximately 10 feet high. He was saved by a lifeguard.

“Our search area now includes nearby beaches,” Chief Bond stated. “We are deploying divers, rescue vessels, and air support to aid in the search. Unfortunately, we have yet to find the girl.” The Marine Safety team is working with Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Forecasts from the National Weather Service indicated that Southern California beaches would experience waves between 5 and 8 feet until at least Thursday night, with certain areas, like Malibu, facing waves as high as 10 feet.

Philip Gonsalves, a National Weather Service meteorologist, noted that in Orange County, where Laguna Beach is located, wave heights typically remain below 6 feet. He reported that waves had peaked at 10 feet and were expected to decrease in the coming day. The heightened surf conditions affect beaches facing south or southwest as swells from the Southern Hemisphere’s winter storms reach the coast.