Family's Fishing Trip Shattered by Deadly Rogue Wave

3 members were swept off rocks and into the sea in Southern California
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 26, 2020 7:17 AM CDT
Rogue Wave Kills 3 Members of Family
The scene on Thursday along the Pacific Coast Highway near the Ventura County-Los Angeles County line.   (Ventura County Fire Department)

A family of eight was enjoying an afternoon of fishing on the Southern California coast when three members were swept off rocks and into the sea. All three unidentified victims were pulled from the water before 5pm Thursday but ultimately died, Capt. Brian McGrath of the Ventura County Fire Department tells NBC News. The family had been fishing "near the notoriously slippery crags and small beaches between Point Mugu and Leo Carrillo state parks along Pacific Coast Highway" when a wave crashed in, sending the victims into the water, per the Los Angeles Times.

"When we got on scene … we were able to rescue all three out of the water. However, they were fatally injured," McGrath tells NBC. Ventura County Sheriff's Capt. Eric Buschow says all three were pronounced dead at the scene. "Unfortunately, it can be a dangerous place because it is very rocky and the beach and sand slopes straight down," he tells the Times of the scene, not far from the Ventura County-Los Angeles County line. "Things can look very calm one moment, but every once in a while you can have a large wave that can crash down upon you." (More Southern California stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X