09.06.2019 | 10:50 PM | LAGUNA BEACH – A woman was rescued after going missing for three hours in the Pacific Ocean, late Friday night.
Authorities responded to reports of a missing swimmer near Main Beach in the 100 block of South Coast Highway around 10:50 PM.
Units arriving on scene learned that a 36-year-old female had entered the water near Main Beach but had not returned.
A large-scale search and rescue operation was initiated and lifeguards, rescue boats, and helicopters responded to the scene to assist in the search.
Using two Orange County Sheriff’s Department Harbor Patrol boats, multiple lifeguard swimmers, and a Orange County Sheriff’s helicopter, authorities searched for hours with no sign of the missing woman.
At around 12:30 AM, the search efforts were slowed down and a police and fire command post was broken down.
Around 1:00 AM a United States Coast Guard helicopter responded to the area to attempt a secondary search for the missing swimmer.
During this search the missing woman was located around 1:50 AM and taken to an area hospital.
Details regarding her rescue were not immediately available but authorities reported she was conscious and breathing when she was found.
A bag containing the woman’s personal items was recovered from Main Beach.