PACIFICA, Calif. -- A mother and her young daughter have died after being swept away by a powerful rip current in the waters off Montara State Beach, a U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant said.

The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner's office today identified the victims as 41-year-old Romila Higgins and 5-year-old Indali Higgins.

According to the sheriff's office, emergency crews responded to the beach at about 4:20 p.m. Monday on reports of adults and children in the water.

A San Mateo County Fire spokesman said the girl was swept a few hundred yards out in a rip current that runs along the south end of the beach.

The girl's mother was also overcome by the heavy surf trying to save the child.

Witnesses report seeing the woman getting CPR on the sand while the search went on for the little girl.

Officials describe a chaotic scene on their arrival.

"We had a total of seven victims on the shore," said Ari Delay of the Half Moon Bay Fire Department. "Five of them were not transported. Two were taken by helicopter to Stanford Medical Center, both with CPR in progress in route to the hospital."

There was little hope of saving the child once the harbormaster’s boat found her in the water after a 30-minute search. The woman was also unconscious when she pulled to shore.

Coast Guard Lt. Steve Youde said the Coast Guard was notified at about 7:45 p.m. that the young girl and her mother had died.

What remains unclear is whether Romila and Indali Higgins were part of a group swimming or were caught unsuspecting in shallow waves.

"The family at some point was swept out on the south end of Montara State Beach. There's a rip [current] that goes along the south end," explained Delay. "It's unknown the exact circumstances. It's a precarious surf out here. The surf line is very dangerous."

Monday evening, the lifeguards, paramedics, police and fire personnel who responded to this double drowning gathered for a debriefing and to receive stress counseling.

The names of the victims have not yet been released by the coroner.