James Goh and two friends had climbed over the railing that runs along Calle Entradero beach shore in the Oceanfront Estates area of Rancho Palos Verdes and walked down 40 feet on a narrow trail to the rocky shoreline near the Point Vicente Lighthouse on Sunday February 24, 2008. At approximately 6:35 p. m. , a 15- to 20-foot wave hit the three and swept them out. Goh’s friends were able to get back to shore, but James was swept under and disappeared.