A father lost his life at a California beach on Sunday while trying to rescue his two young children, who, authorities said, are currently missing and are presumed dead.
Father of two kids, 40-year-old Michael Wyman, drowned while trying to save his children that have been missing after going into the beach. On Monday, rescuers continued to search for the whereabouts of the victims.
Hazardous Water Conditions
Monte Rio Fire Chief Steve Baxman told the Press Democrat of Santa Rosa that the victims’ mother told officials that her whole family was close to the water’s edge or halfway in when a massive wave pushed them down.
Baxman said, “The kids got swept in, so dad went in to get them and managed to grab his son, but he, they were swept out, and mom was knocked to her knees, but she was able to get out.”
Sonoma County’s Sheriff Department’s Lt. Michael Raasch said Wyman’s remains were dragged out of the ocean by his wife and one of his friends, USA Today reported.
Raasch noted that when rescuers arrived, they continued to search for the children for hours. However, they only found washed up shoes and a jacket, with no traces of the kids.
Rescuers had difficulties locating the victims due to the water having extremely low visibility, Supervising Sonoma Coast Ranger Damien Jones said. Authorities warned people to stay out of the water while surf conditions were still dangerous.
Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department posted on their Facebook account that they had prepared a crew to rescue the missing individuals. However, due to the weather, they had to be kept on standby at the hangar until it cleared up. The department noted that the conditions threatened the safety of the dive team if they continued the search.