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UPDATE: GoFundMe Campaign Pushes To Continue Search For Fremont Boy Swept To Sea

FREMONT (CBS SF) -- A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money to support the continued search for a 12-year-old Fremont boy who was lost in high surf at Cowell Ranch State Beach in San Mateo County earlier this week.

Arunay Pruthi was swept to sea as he tried to help his father an younger brother after they were knocked down by a rogue wave at the Half Moon Bay beach Monday afternoon.

Those two were able to get out of the water, but Arunay was carried off by a rip current.

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search for Arunay late Tuesday morning.

"The Coast Guard's object when it searches is for a rescue," said USCG Capt. Howard Wright. "When we're no longer confident that we're able to rescue a victim alive, we will suspend the search."

In just 16 hours, the GoFundMe page had already raised over $76,000 to fund the search-and-rescue effort for the boy from nearly 1,400 donors.

"Family and friends will continue the search and are coordinating with local fishermen, chopper, boat and drone operators, and hundreds of volunteers in their efforts to locate Arunay," text on the fundraising page read.

The money raised by the effort will "support the operations and logistics involved with this effort."

As family and friends now continue the search on their own, it is hard for Arunay's father Tarun to understand how a day at the beach could have gone so wrong.

"It was just very big waves, I guess. We didn't expect it," Tarun said. "The waves were pretty big. It threw me around for a while. I just managed to barely make it."

The family set up a Facebook page that will include updates to the search for Arunay.

The page said any remaining funds that don't go towards the effort would be donated to a charity of the Pruthi family's choice

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