Panther Beach has been the scene of several drownings this year. Photo: Evan Quarnstrom
After first responders rescued two people from the water in northern Santa Cruz County on Tuesday, September 29, one of them has died.
According to local news outlet KSBW 8, the victims were a man and a woman in their 30s, and the woman was pronounced deceased days later. Calfire told KSBW 8 that neither victim was a Santa Cruz County resident.
Initial reports indicated that the victims were fishing when waves pulled them into the ocean. But details of what happened next are sparse. It’s unclear how long they were in the water before first responders arrived. One of the victims was transported by Stanford Health Care’s helicopter, while the other was taken to a local hospital by ambulance.
The status of the man is still unknown, but reports said that one of the victims was able to speak after being revived on the beach.
Cal Fire posted a video of the September 29 rescue operation saying, “Rescue swimmers from the Santa Cruz Fire Department and California State Parks Public Safety helped bring both people out of the water, and responders provided resuscitation efforts on the beach.”
“A CAL FIRE Fire Hawk helicopter then helped lift the patients up the steep cliff so they could receive further medical care,” they added.
Panther Beach, a cove with high cliffs on Santa Cruz County’s north coast, was the scene of another tragedy this summer. In June, two Bay Area college students drowned after getting swept into the surf.
