Wharf Collapse Press Conference 12 23 2024

The City of Santa Cruz, CA USA- Incident Report: Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf Incident
At approximately 12:44 p.m. Monday, December 23rd, 2024, a call was received reporting that the end of the Santa Cruz municipal wharf, where the Dolphin Restaurant and Restroom #3 were located, collapsed into the ocean along with three construction workers. Due to ongoing construction, this area has been closed to the public since January 2024.
Two victims were rescued by Lifeguard Unit 3166, and one victim self-rescued. There are no reports of significant injuries at this time. A drone deployed by the Santa Cruz Police Department confirmed that no additional victims were in the water and assessed the extent of the damage.
The municipal wharf will be closed until further notice.
Due to the high surf advisory and the large amounts of debris, including potentially hazardous materials released during the incident, Main Beach and Cowell's Beach are also closed.
Due to life-threatening ocean conditions, please avoid all coastal areas, including overlook areas such as rocks, jetties, or cliffs. Dangerous and powerful waves can sweep across entire beaches unexpectedly. Do not enter the water, and do not cross flooded streets. Conditions will remain dangerous through noon on Tuesday, Dec. 24.
We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.