Santa Cruz, California: Coast Guard Suspends Search for Se Nah Park, 24, Swept to Sea at Panther State Beach

The Coast Guard has suspended its search for Se Nah Park, a 24 year old woman believed to have been swept out to sea at Panther State Beach in Santa Cruz County on Sunday night, officials announced on Tuesday. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office is still searching from the air.

The Coast Guard said in a Tuesday news release that the multi agency search was suspended on Monday afternoon. Coast Guard Sector San Francisco coordinated an eight hour search across a 95 square mile area using helicopter, boat and drone crews after the agency was notified that Park was missing at about 9:30 p.m. on Sunday.

"Suspending a search is a difficult decision," said Lt. Max Holloway, a search and rescue mission coordinator with the Coast Guard. "Given the extensive search effort of the surrounding area and environmental conditions, we have suspended active search efforts pending further developments."

Sheriff's office still searching

The sheriff's office still had its drone unit and a fixed wing airplane out searching on Tuesday, communications officer Ashley Keehn said in an email. Lt. Daniel Robbins of the sheriff's office told ABC 7 News the hope is that Park is found safe. "Hopefully stranded on a beach somewhere," Robbins said.

Anyone with information about Park is asked to call the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office at 831-471-1121.

Trapped by the rising tide

Deputies first responded at about 8 p.m. on Sunday to a report of a woman believed to have been swept to sea at Panther State Beach, a secluded sandy cove on Highway 1 just north of Santa Cruz, near Davenport, the sheriff's office said in a Monday post.

According to the CAL FIRE CZU San Mateo Santa Cruz Unit, Park and three other people walked through the keyhole, a natural rock archway at the beach that can be crossed at low tide. When the tide rose, the group became trapped. Three of the friends escaped the rising water. Park remained trapped, then vanished, and is believed to have been swept out to sea, CAL FIRE said.

An extensive search followed on Sunday evening, with drones, ground crews and helicopters, according to deputies. At the time, the coast was under a beach hazards statement, with breaking waves ranging from 12 to 16 feet, according to the National Weather Service.

Warnings for beachgoers

CAL FIRE CZU urged visitors to know the daily tide schedule before a trip, saying high tides can flood beaches and cut off escape routes quickly. "Ocean conditions along our coastline can change in an instant, turning a scenic beach visit into a life threatening situation," firefighters said.

The unit warned of sneaker waves that can sweep far up the shoreline without warning and pull even strong swimmers into deep water, and it told visitors to be careful around narrow rock formations, caves and alcoves that can fill with water as the tide comes in. "Avoid entering confined coastal features when the tide is rising," firefighters said. Anyone who sees a person swept out to sea should keep their eyes on the person's location and call emergency services at once instead of going into the water after them.