3 dead after being swept out to ocean in U.S. California

Three people died Thursday afternoon after they were washed off rocks into the Pacific Ocean in the U.S. state of California, reported Xinhua quoting local authorities.

The incident happened near the Pacific Coast Highway that runs along the Pacific coastline of California, according to the Ventura County Fire Department.

"When we got on scene, we were able to confirm there were three people unaccounted for from a family," Ventura County Fire Department Capt. Brian McGrath said in a video tweeted by the department.

After "a rapid search of the water," the three people were rescued from the water, but they "were fatally injured in the incident," McGrath said, adding that an investigation is underway by the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.

The three victims were part of a family of eight fishing near the notoriously slippery rocky crags and small beaches between Point Mugu and Leo Carrillo state parks along the highway, not far from the Ventura-Los Angeles County border, the Los Angeles Times quoted Ventura County Sheriff's Capt. Eric Buschow as saying.