Santa Rosa Father, Son Die In Waters Off Sonoma County Coast

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A father and his 6-year-old son who died Sunday afternoon at Goat Rock State Beach in unincorporated Sonoma County were identified Monday afternoon by the Sonoma County Sheriff-Coroner's Office as Omar Sanchez Hernandez, 31, and Axel Sanchez Medina, both of Santa Rosa.

According to U.S. Coast Guard officials, three children were playing at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday in some shallow water at the beach when a strong undertow swept a boy out to sea. The father went in to save his son and was almost successful when the undertow took them both back out, Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Emily Rowan said.

Two helicopters, one from the Coast Guard and one from the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, responded as well as two Coast Guard boats.

Both bodies were recovered but neither Axel nor his father, Omar, could be resuscitated, officials said.

The two had been in the water for about an hour before rescuers got them to shore, Rowan said.

"It was pretty shallow water but the undertow was so strong," Rowan said. "It's an unfortunate situation."

By Bay City News Service; Patch editor Maggie Avants contributed to this report.

Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Adam Stanton U.S. Coast Guard District 11