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The body of a 5-year-old girl who was swept into the ocean at California’s Laguna Beach this week has been recovered, officials said Thursday.
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Police made a sighting 250 to 300 yards off Christmas Cove during an early-morning aerial survey of the coastline Thursday, the Laguna Beach Marine Safety Department said.
The sighting was a quarter-mile north of Treasure Island Beach, near where the child was hit by a wave and swept into rough surf Tuesday evening, according to police and the Coast Guard.
Laguna Beach Marine Safety personnel recovered the girl with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Harbor Patrol.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department coroner positively identified the child, and her family has been notified.
The girl was in the water with her mother and sibling when they got swept into the ocean during “powerful water conditions,” Laguna Beach Marine Safety said Wednesday. The mother and one child were rescued by bystanders who immediately entered the water.
The Coast Guard suspended the search Thursday after having searched for more than 30 hours and covered more than 90 square miles.
On Tuesday, elevated surf conditions were reported in Laguna Beach, which can get swells up to 9 feet.
Swells on Tuesday led to beach hazard warnings across Southern California, along with high wave heights and rip currents, the National Weather Service warned.
Marlene Lenthang is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.
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