College wrestler vanishes after he’s swept away by ocean wave, California police say
A 22-year-old college wrestler was swimming in the ocean when he was swept away by a wave, California police and news outlets reported.
The man was swimming around 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19 along the Esplanade Beach shoreline in Pacifica, the city police department said in a news release.
A large wave struck the man and pulled him farther from the shoreline, police said.
Two other swimmers were able to get out of the water and call 911, police said.
Rescuers looked for the man along nearby beaches, in the water and by helicopter but couldn’t find him, police said.
Police said he was a white male in his 20s, 6 feet, 1 inches tall, 215 pounds with brown hair, and he was last seen wearing black shorts.
San Francisco State University confirmed he was a student.
The university and police identified him as athlete Hamzah Alsaudi from Santa Monica. He was a senior and member of the wrestling team, KTVU reported.
“It hasn’t fully set in yet. He was an amazing guy, one of my best friends on the team. Very giving,” teammate Calllum Bisping told the news outlet.
“Our hearts go out to the family, friends and classmates of beloved student and athlete Hamzah Alsaudi who remains missing following yesterday’s tragic accident. Campus resources are available for the members of our community who need assistance during this difficult time,” the university said in a statement to McClatchy News.
Pacifica is about 15 miles south of San Francisco.
This story was originally published January 20, 2023 at 12:09 PM with the headline "College wrestler vanishes after he’s swept away by ocean wave, California police say."
