Young San Jose couple expecting a baby are swept into ocean and killed by freak wave while taking a photo

A pregnant woman and her soon-to-be husband drowned after they were washed off rocks by a freak wave and pulled out to sea.

Pedro David Guadarrama Ceron, 30, of San Jose, and Emma Nelly Diazleal Lopez, 33, were found floating face-down off the coast of Santa Cruz, California.

The couple, from San Jose, were standing on rocks near Mitchell's Cove below West Cliff Drive having their photo taken when the wave swallowed them.

Waves came out of nowhere and dragged them out to sea just before 6.18am, according to 911 callers.

Pedro David Guadarrama Ceron, 30, of San Jose, and Emma Nelly Diazleal Lopez, 33, were found floating face-down off the coast of Santa Cruz, California

The couple, from San Jose, were standing on rocks near Mitchell's Cove below West Cliff Drive having their photo taken when the wave swallowed them

Two rescue swimmers from the Santa Cruz Fire Department and two Santa Cruz City Lifeguards jumped into the water to look for the couple.

Both were floating in the water and unresponsive, so the rescuers swam them out to a waiting Harbor Patrol Rescue Boat.

'Advanced life support measures were immediately initiated as the victims were assisted on board the vessel and directed towards the harbor,' SCFD said.

'Despite uninterrupted resuscitative efforts, both victims succumbed to the elements and could not be resuscitated.'

Family said the couple were engaged and only recently learned they were expecting their first child

Pedro David Guadarrama Ceron was killed alongside his fiancée

Family said the couple were engaged and only recently learned they were expecting their first child.

SCFD warned beachgoers to never turn their back on the ocean and be aware of tidal conditions.

'Certain southerly swells and rising tides can produce 'sneaker waves' that can catch unaware citizens off-guard,' it said.