Search for floating Pacifica body suspended: Missing person seen face down near Rockaway Beach, officials seek public’s help

The incident started when concerned beachgoers found a surfboard washed ashore and saw a body floating in the water, said Pacifica police Capt. Dan Steidle. One of the first sergeants on scene confirmed seeing a body, but it submerged shortly after, Steidle said. In cases such as this, it’s not uncommon for remains to submerge and not appear for several days, Steidle said.

Although police have a good idea who the deceased is, Steidle said he couldn’t comment or confirm the identification until the body is recovered.

Despite saturating an 18-square mile zone by launching a 47-foot rescue boat and a helicopter equipped with night vision and infrared capabilities, the body wasn’t seen again and the search concluded around 10 p.m. due to conditions Monday night, said U.S. Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Jacob Aulner.

“We suspended the search for the time being until further information is gathered. Local fire and police are working with people in the area to identify who the missing person was,” Aulner said. “We definitely want to stress if anyone has information about a possible missing surfer from Rockaway Beach that they contact the Coast Guard or 911.”

Fire and police combed the beach during the aerial and water search efforts and although a surfboard was found, it’s difficult to identify to whom the board belonged, Aulner said.

The search remains active, but suspended, and the Coast Guard deployed two buoys capable of collecting ocean condition data that may assist in possible future search efforts, Aulner said.

“[They’re] marker buoys that will send information to the Coast Guard based on different sea conditions and drifting conditions so they can better plan their search patterns. [The buoys] help simulate where a person would float if they were in the water,” Aulner said.

Aulner said he couldn’t speculate on whether the chances of recovering a body are less likely as more time passes because each operation is different and depends on weather conditions.

The death comes shortly after Thomas Ormsby, a 60-year-old Pacifica man, who drowned at the nearby Linda Mar Beach while surfing with his son Nov. 3.

Surfers at the beach reported to police they saw a surfboard fly into the air before Ormsby’s body was found around 9:30 a.m.

With winter swells picking up on the coast, Steidle cautions swimmers to use care when entering the ocean.

“Our message is always surf with somebody. Just like we did in school, use the buddy system,” Steidle said. “And just remember that even experienced surfers report problems sometimes because the ocean can be unpredictable. So be careful.”

Anyone with information about the identity of the missing person is asked to call 911 or the Coast Guard Sector San Francisco Command Center at (415) 399-3451.

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