Man missing after being swept into ocean off Big Sur coast ID'd as US Army specialist

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- A man who remains missing after being pulled out to sea by a powerful wave at Soberanes Point on the Big Sur coastline Saturday, Nov. 22 has been identified.

RELATED: Man missing after 3 swept into ocean on Big Sur coastline days after child was lost on same beach

Col. Christy L. Whitfield, Commandant at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, identified him as 35-year-old U.S. Army Specialist Amanpreet Thind from New Jersey.

"As search and recovery operations continue, we hold out hope that Spc. Thind will be found," said Col. Whitfield. "We offer our deepest condolences to the Thind family during this difficult time. We are providing those impacted with every resource and support service available and extend our heartfelt gratitude to local, state, and national first responders working tirelessly to locate Spc. Thind."

He was pulled out to sea by a powerful wave at Garrapata State Park -- days after a child was lost on the same beach.

The Monterey County Sheriff's Office was alerted about 3 p.m. Saturday that the man was swept away near Soberanes Point on Garapata State Beach, about half a mile from where a 7-year-old girl was carried away Nov. 14.

About 4:30 p.m., a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew spotted the man's body floating about 300 feet offshore but lost track of it in the ocean and was unable to recover it, said Cmdr. Andres Rosas, a spokesman for the sheriff's office.

RELATED: Body of 7-year-old found after father and daughter pulled into ocean in Big Sur

Rosas said the man was among a group of four people who were visiting the park, about 11 miles south of Carmel along state Highway 1.

Two women and one man were swept off the rocks into the ocean, California State Parks said in a press release.

Two women were able to self-rescue and were transported to a local hospital where they were treated and released for minor injuries.

The public is asked to stay away from the Soberanes Point area as these search efforts continue.

Bay City News contributed to this report.