“Search for Missing Swimmer Near San Francisco Beach Amid Reported Shark Encounter”
The U.S. Coast Guard is part of the search effort on Monday for a missing swimmer off a California beach, following a reported shark encounter near San Francisco.
Grace Patton, the Coast Guard San Francisco Public Information Officer, informed Fox News Digital that a witness reported the incident on Sunday in the Wildcat Beach area of Point Reyes National Seashore. She clarified on Monday that while it was reported as a shark attack, it has not been confirmed as such.
The National Park Service stated on Sunday that an active search and rescue operation was underway in the Wildcat Beach area after a person was reported missing in the water. The missing swimmer, whose identity remains undisclosed, is estimated to be around 50 years old.
Marin County Fire Department Senior Captain Ben Ghisletta mentioned to CBS San Francisco that this incident could potentially be the first fatal shark attack in the Marin County area. However, they remain hopeful of finding the missing individual.
Authorities also revealed that the three swimmers, including the missing one, were camping with a group of up to 15 others in the vicinity of the beach.
Wildcat Beach, situated within the Phillip Burton Wilderness in the southern part of the national seashore, is described by the National Park Service as a 2.9-mile-long beach with various hazards, including hypothermia due to cold ocean water, sneaker waves, and rip currents that visitors should be aware of while visiting Point Reyes Beaches.