If there are solid answers, I'd like to hear them:
A Santa Maria pastor whose assistant remained missing Monday after being swept out to sea during a
baptism ceremony at a coastal park in northern Santa Barbara County described trying to save the 43-year-old man as two large waves overtook them.
Pastor Maurigro Cervantes of the Jesus Christ Light of the Sky church, told KEYT-TV that he was in the water with two others on Sunday baptizing a man his mid 20s, while his cousin, Benito Flores, was assisting.
"A big wave came and took Benito," Cervantes said. "I tried to take him out -- he was heavy -- and then another big wave came."
The entire group was dragged into the ocean during the early morning service at Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve, but Santa Barbara County Fire Department Battalion Chief Diondray Wiley told KEYT that Flores was the only one unable to "self-rescue."
An extensive search by emergency teams failed to find the missing man by nightfall, the Santa Maria Times reported.
It's tragic... but there is this note on the website for the preserve:
This park is unique in the sense that it doesn’t have a system of established trails. The main hike that people do is to walk south along the ocean to Mussel Point/Rock. Please note that the surf can be very dangerous at this location. It is approximately 2.5 miles from the parking area to Mussel Point and walking in deep sand can be strenuous.
Is Mussel Point/Rock where the ceremony was conducted? Not clear yet.
What is clear is that this seems to have been an avoidable tragedy.
God comfort the Flores family.
