March 21, 2022Updated: March 23, 2022 4:20 pm

A San Francisco man drowned off Sand Dollar Beach (seen here) in Big Sur over the weekend.

Danita Delimont/Getty Images/Gallo Images

A San Francisco man fishing in Big Sur was swept into the ocean and drowned over the weekend, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said.

Zhi Neng Huang, 49, was fishing with a friend at Sand Dollar Beach, between Lucia and Gorda, on Saturday. Monterey County Weekly reports that Huang leaned down to bait his hook when a large wave topped him into the water.

The Big Sur Fire Department, lifeguards from California State Parks, Monterey County Search and Rescue and the Coast Guard all responded to the scene where Huang was discovered “face down” in the ocean via drone, the Weekly reported.

A lifeguard paddled out to Huang, who appeared to be dead. He was airlifted by a Coast Guard helicopter but was unable to be resuscitated and declared deceased.

Winter weather churns the surf off Northern California from around November through February and even March, making conditions more dangerous than a normal day. But even in seemingly calm weather, swells can catch beach-goers off guard. The National Weather Service recommends people stay off rocks and jetties and remain vigilant.

Katie Dowd is the SFGATE managing editor.

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