Another tragedy strikes the Northern California surf town. Photo: Yeshaya Barron//Unsplash
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department and Harbor Patrol pulled a body from the ocean near the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf around 8:30 a.m. on Monday, July 6.
Authorities identified the body as a 16-year-old boy from neighboring Capitola who had been reported missing. A Sheriff’s Department spokesperson told the Santa Cruz Sentinel the body was extricated from the water and brought to shore. Since the victim is a minor, they didn’t release his identity.
Sheriffs said they are investigating the cause of death, but it does not appear to be a case of foul play. It’s unclear if the victim was swimming or surfing.
The death is the latest in what has been a tragic summer in Santa Cruz. Last month, two college students drowned at Panther Beach during a large south swell event. The city’s lifeguards rescued several other beachgoers swept out to sea by one of the largest south swells in years.
