Search suspended for missing 5-year-old girl swept out to sea in Laguna Beach

The search for a missing girl who was swept out to sea in Laguna Beach, California , has been suspended, the U.S. Coast Guard said Thursday.

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A statement from the USCG said the search for the 5-year-old girl was suspended Wednesday night after rescue teams searched for more than 30 hours and covered more than 90 square miles.

The Coast Guard said it was alerted by the Laguna Beach Fire Department at 8 p.m. on Tuesday that a child had been “struck by a wave and swept into rough surf.”

During the incident, a “mother and her two children were swept into the ocean by powerful water conditions while near the shoreline,” according to Laguna Beach Marine Safety in a statement Wednesday.

The mother and one child were successfully rescued by bystanders who immediately entered the water, while authorities began searching for the second child beyond the original search point near Treasure Island Beach.

“Suspending a search is an extremely difficult decision. We launched assets and responded as quickly as possible, continuously searching throughout the night and until sunset on June 10, 2026,” Capt. Stacey Crecy, commander of Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach, said Thursday. “We worked hand-in-hand with first responders in Laguna Beach to carry out a coordinated and thorough search of the area.”

In addition to Laguna Beach Marine Safety, rescuers from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Harbor Patrol and the Coast Guard were still looking for the missing swimmer Wednesday.

Laguna Beach can face swells up to 9 feet. The National Weather Service warned Wednesday that “highest surf will be at south-facing beaches and peak through today.”