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

Santa Cruz and state officials are still surveying the damage and clearing debris from along the coast after heavy surf brought down part of the pier, whose long-term fate is also unclear.

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.

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.

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.

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

People who fell into the water after part of the Santa Cruz wharf collapsed Monday were rescued by emergency responders.

SANTA CRUZ — Three workers inspecting the Santa Cruz Wharf fell into the choppy ocean waves and had to be rescued after part of the structure collapsed Monday, said city officials who fear the next storm could cause more damage. Two of the victims were rescued from the waters by lifeguards and a third self-rescued, officials said.

The famed Santa Cruz Wharf on the California coast will remain indefinitely closed until further notice after part collapsed this week with city leaders fearing for its future due to growing effects of climate change.