Swimmer missing after possible shark attack on California’s Central Coast
A swimmer went missing Sunday after a possible shark attack near Monterey.
The woman was reported missing off of Lovers Point in Pacific Grove, California, on Sunday afternoon, according to a joint news release from the city of Pacific Grove, the city of Monterey and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The agencies said two witnesses reported that the missing person may have encountered a shark off the shore while swimming. Any potential shark attack has not yet been confirmed.
Multiple agencies responded to the search-and-rescue effort, but the missing swimmer still had not been found as of 8 p.m. Sunday, the release said. Authorities were searching by both boat and helicopter.
“She’s a 55-year-old blonde woman with blue eyes who is currently missing and who we’re searching for,” Pacific Grove Police Department Commander Brian Anderson told KSBW.
The search-and-rescue efforts resumed Monday morning, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Chris Sappey told The Tribune, but there had been no major updates in the case.
The incident resulted in beach closures and advisories in the area.
According to the release, Lovers Point in Pacific Grove and Monterey’s McAbee and San Carlos beaches will remain closed through Tuesday. Beach advisories were also in place through Tuesday for Asilomar State Beach, Monterey Municipal Beach, Del Monte Beach, and Monterey State Beach.
The Tribune reached out to Pacific Grove police for more information but had not heard back as of Monday morning.
The incident was the latest case of a missing person in the waters off Monterey County.
On Nov. 14, 7-year-old Anzi Hu of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, died when she was swept out to sea by a rogue wave at Garrapata State Park. Her father, 39-year-old Yuji Hu, also died when he tried to rescue her.
A week later, 35-year-old Amanpreet Thind, a U.S. Army serviceman from New Jersey, was also swept into the ocean at the same park. The search was eventually suspended, and his body has not been found.
This story was originally published December 22, 2025 at 10:54 AM with the headline "Swimmer missing after possible shark attack on California’s Central Coast."
