With dangerous waves and strong winds battering the Southern California coast, authorities suspended the search for two men whose capsized boat washed ashore along the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
The men went fishing aboard a small boat Monday afternoon, leaving from San Pedro, according to a Coast Guard spokesman.
At the time, forecasters had issued a small craft advisory, warning boaters in Los Angeles County that there could be waves up to 10 feet high.
When the men did not return, they were reported missing around 5 a.m. Tuesday.
About half an hour later, passersby discovered his boat overturned along a stretch of rocky shoreline in Palos Verdes Estates, the Coast Guard spokesman said. The men, however, were not on board.
The Coast Guard and several law enforcement agencies scoured the choppy waters with rescue boats, drones and helicopters, but as of Wednesday afternoon they still had not found the men.
After more than 30 hours without receiving a distress call, the Coast Guard announced it had stopped the search.
The boaters' disappearance came during a week in which massive waves damaged the historic Santa Cruz Pier and a man died after becoming trapped in debris in high surf in Monterey Bay.
Forecasters said that in Los Angeles and Orange counties, waves would peak at 5 to 10 feet on Christmas Day. Waves up to 15 feet were anticipated to last all week further north in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
