Authorities have confirmed that a body recovered off California’s Central Coast belongs to Erica Fox, a 55-year-old triathlete who disappeared during a weekly open-water swim in Monterey Bay. Fox, a resident of Pebble Beach, was reported missing on December 21 after witnesses described what appeared to be a shark attack in the water near Pacific Grove.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said the body was found Saturday near Davenport, roughly 30 miles north of where Fox vanished. Sgt. Ryan Farotte confirmed the recovery, and Fox’s father later identified the body as his daughter in comments to NBC Bay Area. Multiple agencies assisted in a difficult recovery operation, using a hoist system to retrieve the body from a beach below coastal bluffs.
Fox was swimming with a group of 17 people near Lovers Point, a well-known area on the Monterey Peninsula used by local athletes for weekly open-water swims. According to authorities, the other swimmers made it safely to shore after the incident. Two witnesses told investigators they saw a shark in the water and what appeared to be an attack on one swimmer.
A Coast Guard spokesperson said one witness, who was driving to work at the time, reported seeing a shark breach the water with what looked like a body in its jaws before submerging again. Search efforts were launched immediately and continued for more than 15 hours, involving aircraft, drones, boats, and divers from multiple local, state, and federal agencies. The search was suspended on December 22 due to conditions and lack of further sightings.
Shark attacks in California remain statistically rare. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife reports 230 shark attacks since 1950, with 16 fatalities prior to Fox’s death. Most incidents involve white sharks, which are common in colder coastal waters. Despite increased ocean activity over the decades, the overall number of attacks has remained relatively low.
Fox was an experienced endurance athlete. Her father, James Fox, said she had completed two half-Ironman competitions, numerous triathlons, and participated for nearly 20 years in the annual “Escape From Alcatraz” triathlon. He described his daughter as kind, disciplined, and deeply passionate about swimming.
“Swimming was her forte,” he said. “She just loved that.”
Fox leaves behind her husband of 30 years and a close-knit community of fellow athletes. Authorities have not confirmed the species of shark involved, and the investigation remains ongoing.
