Solaiman Nourzaie, 25-years-old, is one of two UC Santa Cruz students swept out to sea on Monday evening. A search party involving US Coast Guard helicopters and repel crews that covered 46 miles was put on hold last night.
According to witness reports, Solaiman and his four friends were visiting the Boony Doon Beach in Santa Cruz when they decided to climb down a 70-foot cliff to stand on a rock. It was at that moment a massive wave knocked three of them off that rock, leaving just two of the students.
One of the three students who was thrown into the ocean managed to swim back to shore with minor injuries. Solaiman was not one of them. His sister wrote on Facebook that it’s possible he could have jumped in the water to save Shireen since he was a strong swimmer.
Solaiman was an Afghani native who was studying geology at UC Santa Cruz. Friends and family, although they haven’t given up hope, remember Solaiman fondly.
“He wasn’t a typical college kid,” said Naseer Ahmed. “He was a community leader, outgoing, humble and generous. He was the epitome of a practicing Muslim; a real diamond.”
