Baptism Tragedy in Guadalupe
As of about 9 a.m. this morning, Santa Barbara County Fire has received multiple reports of a body near shore approximately two to four miles north of Guadalupe Dunes Park, where one person went missing after being swept into the ocean — along with two others, who both made it back to shore — Sunday morning following a baptism. County Fire is responding to the scene with help from Cal Fire San Luis Obispo, the Guadalupe Fire Department, and the water rescue team from the Vandenberg Fire Department; they also anticipate help from the county’s Air Support Unit rescue swimmers.
After the third person went missing Sunday, search teams from the Guadalupe Fire Department, Santa Maria Fire Department, Vandenberg Air Force Base, the US Coast Guard, County Search and Rescue, and the Sheriff’s Department responded.
Information on the missing person wasn’t available. This is a breaking story—check back for updates.
UPDATE, 11:45: A press release from County Fire said the reports of the body near the surf line turned out to be a false alarm; the object spotted was an assortment of fishing buoys. The Coast Guard is still searching via helicopter and boat, along with a State Parks water rescue team.
