Hawaii officials continue search for Los Angeles woman swept out to sea by powerful wave

Officials continue to search for a Los Angeles woman who was swept out to sea Wednesday by a powerful wave while vacationing in Hawaii.

Yayun Cheng, 23, was standing atop the rocky outcropping of Queen’s Bath, a popular tidal pool area in Princeville on the island of Kauai, when a wave knocked her into the ocean, said Kim Tamaoka, a spokeswoman for the Kauai Fire Department.

A high surf warning had been in effect since Tuesday for the island, and the trailhead to Queen’s Bath had been closed since last week, the Fire Department said. The area where Cheng went into the sea had been gated.

“Queen’s Bath is known to be very dangerous, particularly in the winter months when surf is high,” the Fire Department said.

Firefighters, rescue teams, lifeguards on Jet Skis and the U.S. Coast Guard searched for Cheng on Wednesday after her travel companions told officials they saw her unresponsive in the water. Officials said the search would continue Friday.

alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com

Twitter: @r_valejandra