Three workers plunge into the ocean after the Santa Cruz Wharf collapses
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - There were some terrifying moments a the popular Santa Cruz Wharf on Monday when massive waves sent a portion of the pier and three workers plunging into the ocean.
It was a surreal scene of disaster. A small building that was once at the end of the Santa Cruz Wharf fell into the ocean and ended up floating into the mouth of the San Lorenzo River.
Large waves had been crashing into the pillars all day, and some young men from San Jose, fishing at the end of the pier, saw it happening.
"We saw throughout the day, about three hours, we saw one pillar go kinda went down, then another pillar went, then a third...I was, like, 'Man, that's kind of looking strange out here...haven't seen this before.' There's a lot of pillars, but three...that's a lot," said Joe Sweeney, a San Jose resident.
At about 12:45 p.m. Pacific, it all gave way, sending three people, the pier, and the bathroom structure plunging into the ocean.
"It was shaking and cracking a lot. It sounded a lot like thunder actually, and it was kind of swaying around a little bit...We kind of looked at it then all of a sudden it literally fell into the water. It started leaning, and it kind of slid in, and there were people on it too....it looked like they were okay. It looked like they got saved by the Coast Guard."
Landon Ky, a San Jose resident
"We all ran away. We all ran as fast as we can, leaving out stuff, like running away like 'Ahhhh,'" said Bryson Wong, another San Jose resident.
City officials and emergency crews confirmed that the three construction workers who fell into the ocean are okay. They also say the pier and at least two nearby beaches are closed for the cleanup.
"We lost about 300 feet of the end of the wharf where we were doing repairs and replacement...We had people in the water and effectuated surf rescues. Everyone is fine. No one is in the hospital," said Fred Keeley, Mayor of Santa Cruz.
