Shellshocked little girl is filmed being sucked out towards ocean by huge 'sneaker wave' at famous Oregon beach as frantic parents rushed to save her

Published: 10:41 EST, 10 November 2026 | Updated: 11:30 EST, 10 November 2026 A stunned little girl was filmed being sucked out to sea after a huge 'sneaker wave' hit a famous Oregon beach. The terrifying moment took place over the weekend at Cannon Beach as the child was suddenly pulled into the raging water and rushed to safety by her parents. Karin Kelsey Madsen, who filmed the clip, was walking on the beach with her husband when the wave hit and knocked the girl over. A sneaker wave, or sleeper wave, is a massive coastal wave that suddenly surges and hits further up on the beach than a typical wave. When the wave hit, the girl was instantly knocked off her feet and dragged away from her mother, the clip showed. Her father then ran toward her as white, foamy water consumed the area. 'Yeah, this is why you don't turn your back,' Madsen said from behind the camera. The girl's mother also fell in the water, but once she got back on her feet, she ran toward the child as the man picked her up. Terrifying footage captured the moment a little girl was pulled into the ocean in Oregon after a sneaker wave hit She was quickly pulled out of the surging water by her father. The video shows the danger of sneaker waves, a massive coastal wave that suddenly surges and hits further up on the beach than a typical wave'I got you,' he told the girl as he pulled her by her arm, leaving her dangling above the water. The father then raised her out of the water completely as the family of three walked toward the shore. At the same time, Madsen's husband ran toward them to make sure everyone was OK. 'Yeah, she's good,' the mother told him as he and several others watched on in horror. Madsen recalled the girl looking 'like a rag doll' when she was recovered from the dangerous water. It is unclear if the child was injured. 'Then I realized there was a child and swooped up this child, who looked like a rag doll. And so it just took my breath away,' she told KATU. Madsen added: 'My husband kept running to try to see if they needed any help.' She said that the beach was full of families and children when the scary incident took place. Cannon Beach is known for its scenic views, including the iconic Haystack Rock - a 235ft-tall sea stack that is accessible on foot at low tide. It is also the location where scenes from The Goonies were filmed in the fall of 1984. (Pictured: Stock image of Haystack Rock) While the girl was pulled into the water, her mother also fell in as her father ran to save herCannon Beach is known for its scenic views, including the iconic Haystack Rock – a 235ft-tall sea stack that is accessible on foot at low tide. It is also the location where scenes from The Goonies were filmed in the fall of 1984. Sneaker waves are very common at Cannon Beach, especially in the fall and winter months. Madsen also said she was shocked by how many people ignored warnings from officials to stay out of the water that day. 'That whole day, we watched big logs being moved as the tide was coming in,' she recalled. The video she took showed several hefty-looking logs being pulled into the water just like the girl was. Officials warn anyone who gets caught in a sneaker wave to immediately focus on remaining calm and trying to avoid any debris that gets pulled along with them. Madsen's husband ran toward them to make sure everyone was OK as other people watched on in horrorPeople should also not try to fight the current, and instead swim with it as they move parallel to the coastline to break out of it. If someone else is swept into the wave, the best thing to do is not go in after them, and instead call 911 right away. While waiting for emergency crews to arrive, the person on shore should stay on high ground and intently watch the other person in the water.