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Rogue Wave Drowns Fisherman, Surfer Attempts Rescue (Video)

Originally posted on SURFER | By Dashel Pierson | Last updated Mar 26, 2025 12:08 PM ET

A fisherman died on Tuesday afternoon in Marin County, California. The man, reportedly in his 70s, was perched on the rocks at Rodeo Beach, north of San Francisco, when a large wave swept him into the ocean where he drowned. A surfer, who was in the water at the time, pulled the body ashore.

Once on the sand, witnesses said the surfer attempted to resuscitate the man, in addition to first responders on the scene. But their efforts were unsuccessful; the victim died on the beach.

Following the incident, there were conflicting reports that another person had been on the rocks, and was also swept out to sea. However, after a search and review of video footage, it was determined that only one person was involved in the accident.

“We got another report of a second person, who was with him, that had gone into the water,” Jason Golden, Battalion Chief of the Southern Marin Fire District, told local news. “There were two reports of that, so we started a water search, which lasted approximately 45-50 minutes. During that time, we had a third person come up with a credible video of the person that was fishing, and we determined that there actually wasn’t a second person that went into the water. We called off the search.”

Meanwhile, on X (formerly Twitter), the National Weather Service for the Bay Area had warned about dangerous ocean conditions for the region. They posted:

“A Beach Hazards Statement has been extended and is in effect now through Wednesday morning. While warm conditions can be expected on land, the Pacific Ocean is 51°-57° and will not be your friend during this time with an increased risk of sneaker waves and rip currents.”

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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