Overview
- A 47‑year‑old Pacifica fisherwoman, Bae Cadotte, was swept roughly 30 feet offshore by a sudden sneaker wave while fishing south of Pacifica Pier on Tuesday and was recorded on a nearby webcam.
- Fellow anglers threw a rope and pulled Cadotte back to shore before first responders arrived; she was treated for hypothermia at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and has been released to recover at home.
- The San Francisco Fire Department and the National Weather Service have issued beach hazard statements warning of large swells, strong rip currents and the risk of unpredictable sneaker waves.
- Officials and survivors say the Pacifica Pier closure has pushed anglers to other, more exposed shoreline spots and that bystander rescues, while lifesaving, also put rescuers at risk.
- Experts say sneaker waves are rare but hard to predict, these incidents form part of a wider string of recent rescues and deaths along California coasts, and officials urge people to stay well back from the surf and heed posted warnings.