A retired Santa Cruz Wharf supervisor said old steel fasteners had been loosening and the structure had been slowly breaking apart for years.

After part of the iconic Santa Cruz Wharf collapsed into the ocean amid powerful waves on Monday, feathered culprits have been found to factor into the pier’s damage: seagulls.

Mayor, while stressing the value of the wharf in the community, says rebuilding without serious discussions would be “irresponsible.”

A part of the Santa Cruz Wharf collapsed Monday afternoon during a high-surf warning, with authorities confirming two people had to be pulled from the water.

Cleanup efforts continue at the Santa Cruz Wharf after the collapse during high tide last week. Photos were even captured about an hour before the collapse.

Sea lions and a historic ocean swell were on a list of reasons released by officials Friday explaining why part of the iconic Santa Cruz Wharf collapsed. The wooden wharf is more than 100 years old and extends a half mile over the ocean.

While already on alert because of the high surf that hit the Monterey Bay coast Monday, Santa Cruz Lifeguards Lt. Isiah Mullen and Lt. Sam Hofmann, stationed on a Jet Ski in the water near Cowell

Three people were rescued from the wharf. The powerful surf also fatally trapped a man under debris on a beach in Santa Cruz, the authorities said.

City officials in Santa Cruz say swindlers claiming to represent businesses on the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf are soliciting donations following the structure's partial collapse.