CARMEL Ca. – A father has lost his life after trying to rescue his 5-year-old daughter from the ocean on Friday.

The family was at Garrapata State Beach along Highway 1 in California when the child was pulled out by waves estimated between 15-20 feet high.

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The massive waves are being brought onshore by a weather system just off of California’s coast that is bringing heavy rain and prompting a flash flooding threat.

According to the Monterrey County Sheriff’s office, an off-duty State Parks Peace Officer/Lifeguard saw a family in distress. 

The father tried to rescue his daughter, but the pair were swept out together with the father holding his daughter’s hand. 

The mother was on the shore and attempted to reach out, but was also brought into the water in the process. She was able to make it back to shore on her own.

The off-duty officer was able to reach the father and pull him to shore where he administered CPR.

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Both the mother and father were taken to a local hospital where the father was pronounced deceased. This marks the first death caused by the weather system off California’s coast.

The mother was listed in stable condition with signs of hypothermia. 

The 5-year-old child remains missing, and was last seen wearing a red shirt. The search is still ongoing.

This is an ongoing story. Stick with FOX Weather for more updates as they become available.