A WITNESS reported mysterious ‘splashing’ as officials searched for a triathlete who went missing after swimming with a group of 15 people.
Erica Fox, 55, went missing on December 21; however, after just a few hours, the search for the triathlete was
Triathlete Erica Fox, 55, went missing on December 21Credit: Facebook
She was swimming in CaliforniaCredit: NBC
Witnesses reported seeing a shark nearbyCredit: NBC
The triathlete, who founded the swim group Kelp Krawlers more than 20 years ago, was swimming at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove, California, when she vanished.
Fox and her friends had all set out to swim to a buoy, her father told NBC News, but Fox never returned.
While Fox was swimming, two witnesses reported seeing sharks gather in the same area.
One witness reported seeing water splashing when Fox disappeared around 100 yards off Lovers Point, CBS San Francisco reports.
Sharon Carey, a member of the swimming club, has been left heartbroken by the tragedy.
“I was hoping that maybe she got out of the water and then decided to walk back,” she told The Mercury News.
When the sharks were reported, all swimmers were ordered to return to shore, but one swimmer never came back, Pacific Grove Police Department Commander Brian Anderson told CBS San Francisco.
Another witness reported a “large splash,” with a second saying that they saw a shark “breach the water with what appeared to be a human body in its mouth,” SFGATE reported.
The Pacific Grove Police Department announced on December 22 that all rescue efforts for Fox have been suspended.
“While coordinated search operations have concluded, detectives will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the disappearance,” said Commander Brian Anderson, Pacific Grove Police Department.
“We remain committed to determining what happened and following every available lead.”
“On behalf of the cities of Monterey and Pacific Grove and our first responders, we extend our heartfelt sympathies to Erica’s family and loved ones,” Monterey Fire Chief Andrew Miller said in the press release.
“This is a deeply felt tragedy for our community. We are grateful to all the agencies and first responders who joined the search and provided their support during this incident.”
The beach remained closed through December 23.
Who is Erica Fox?
Erica Fox, 55, is a triathlete who competed in the Escape From Alcatraz triathlon for 20 years
She is from Monterey County, California
Fox started the swimming group, the Kelp Krawlers
The triathlete went missing on December 21
Witnesses spotted sharks and splashing around the area where Fox went missing
The Coast Guard called off the search for Fox on December 22
An advisory was put in place for Asilomar State Beach, Monterey Municipal Beach, Del Monte Beach, and Monterey State Beach through December 23.
‘HUMBLED GUESTS’
Fox has previously been very vocal about her support of Oceanlife and protecting sharks.
As soon as you dive in the water, you’re immediately in a foreign land. We are the ocean ecology’s humbled guests.
Erica Fox,
The triathlete posted about the peacefulness of sharks.
“This is the most dangerous animal in the world, and by his side, a shark swims peacefully,” the 2013 post reads with a picture of a shark and a human swimming side by side.
In 2022, Fox told The Independent that she never encountered a shark in Pacific Grove.
“As soon as you dive in the water, you’re immediately in a foreign land. We are the ocean ecology’s humbled guests,” she said.
“I feel more vulnerable riding my bike than being in the water.”
The triathlete participated in the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon for 20 years.
