Yaretzi Noemi: California girl, 5, dies after being swept away due to 'sneaker waves' in Pacific Ocean
HALF MOON BAY, CALIFORNIA: A five-year-old girl identified as Yaretzi Noemi, from California, lost her life and her grandmother is still missing after a huge wave swept them into the Pacific Ocean on Saturday, November, 26.
The tragic incident happened at Martin’s Beach in Half Moon Bay where the National Weather Service had issued a warning for “sneaker waves” that can catch people off guard and drag them into the water.
These 'sneaker waves' can surge more than 150 feet
Fox Weather reported that some of these snearker waves can surge upto 150 feet up to the beach. The NWS had also warned beachgoers to remain out of water warning large "unexpected waves can sweep beach without warning, sweeping people from rocks, jetties and beaches.”
The firefighters had reportedly told meteorologists in the Bay Area National Weather office that there were over six feet hight tides on Saturday, November 27, according to Fox Weather.
The Coast Guard and the San Mateo County firefighters responded to the scene and managed to rescue the five-year-old girl, Yaretzi Noemi Biorato
They had got the reports that two individuals were hit by the Sneaker wave at 2 pm on Saturday, November 24.
Coast Guard crews searching for 54-year-old male near Half Moon Bay. 5-year-old girl in hospital after being rescued by San Mateo County Fire personnel. pic.twitter.com/VJ05JjFA4p
— USCGNorCal (@USCGNorCal) November 26, 2023
Yaretzi Noemi was pronounced dead, but her grandmother is still missing
Biorato was taken to a local hospital, where she died on Sunday, November 26.
Her grandmother, Pascal Soriano, was not located despite an extensive search by helicopters and boats that covered over 100 miles of the ocean.
The Coast Guard suspended the search after about 22 hours, expressing their condolences to the family and friends of the victims.
The Coast Guard has suspended its search for the 54-year-old male who was swept off Martins Beach near Half Moon Bay Saturday afternoon. Search crews searched for approximately 22 hours and scoured 100 square miles.
— USCGNorCal (@USCGNorCal) November 26, 2023
“The decision to suspend search efforts is one of the hardest decisions to make, but our crews searched for nearly 24 hours without any sightings of the missing person,” Jordan Baldueza, deputy commander of the US Coast Guard Sector San Francisco said in a statement.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends affected by this tragic event," the statement added.
Family remembers Yaretzi Noemi as a 'beautiful soul'
Biorato’s family set up an online fundraiser to help with the funeral expenses and to honor her memory.
Danielle Velazquez, who organized the fundraiser, wrote: “We lost a beautiful soul unexpectedly. We ask in whatever form that you are able to help so that we are able to lay to rest our beautiful baby girl Yaretzi."
"God has called upon her to enter his kingdom after she shared five beautiful and bright years of her life with us. Please offer respect and condolences to her family she leaves behind, and if you are able to contribute to any foreseeable costs, we greatly appreciate it," Velazquez continued.