Santa Monica family searches for college student missing in waters off the bay

A Santa Monica family is pleading with authorities to continue searching for a 22-year-old college student who went missing in the ocean waters off the bay last week.

Hamza Alsaudi, a senior member of the San Francisco State University wrestling team, disappeared January 19 after taking a “cold swim” in the ocean at Esplanade Beach in Pacifica. Teammates told police that Alsaudi entered with two teammates but was swept away by a large wave.

“It is very hard to accept that they stopped looking for someone as strong as Hamza,” said his mother, Nadia Shahin.

Police said rescuers were looking for Alsaudi until about 8:30 p.m. on the day of his disappearance. He was never found and declared missing.

The Alsaudi family plans to keep searching despite authorities telling them they don’t think anyone can survive more than a few hours in that morning’s conditions, including high tide and very strong waves.

“No one really wants to hear that. I want to hope and I hope that he is ok and we will find him,” his sister Yasra Alsaudi said.

The family is now pleading with the police, coast guard or anyone else to help them find Alsaudi.

“My heart tells me that he is alive. He is alive and looking for help,” Shaheen said.