_{Thumbnail photo: Crescent City Police are spearheading the search of a pregnant woman who was last seen entering the ocean near the 5th Street stairs and not seen leaving the water on Sunday evening. | Photo by Heather Polen}

An active search is underway for a possibly pregnant woman who was last seen in the water near the foot of 5th Street in Crescent City at about 7 p.m. Sunday.

Reports from bystanders who were about 100 yards away, the woman walked down the stairs barefoot and entered the water at about 3:30 p.m., according to Crescent City Police Chief Richard Griffin. She was last seen in the water at about 7 p.m. 

The reporting party called Del Norte County Dispatch to report that the woman had not been seen exiting the water as of about 8:40 p.m. Sunday, Griffin said. CCPD was still spearheading an active search for the woman as of about 11:12 a.m. Monday, though they had not received a missing persons report for anyone.

“We’re following up on leads as we get them,” he said. “The sheriff’s office is out with a boat.”

Del Norte County Search & Rescue is also assisting as is the U.S. Coast Guard, which sent a helicopter from Humboldt County on Sunday. 

Del Norte County Sheriff Garrett Scott said his undersheriff is also out on the water with his boating safety officer.

The woman is described as about 5 feet 5 inches tall in her early 40s with dark hair, according to Griffin. She’s also believed to be pregnant, he said. 

Anyone with more information should call Del Norte County Dispatch at (707) 464-4191.