Missing diver in Point Arena finally found and rescued but deceased

On 11-28-2015 at approximately 7:12 PM, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies were summoned to the area of the 45000 block of Light House Rd, Point Arena CA. for a report of a missing diver.

Representatives from the United States Coast Guard (Station Noyo Harbor), the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California State Parks, and Fire personal from the Redwood Coast Volunteer Fire Protection District were requested to respond and assist in the search.

Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies arrived on scene and learned that two men from Vallejo CA had entered the ocean in the area of the Point Arena Lighthouse at around 2:45 PM to dive for abalone. The reporting party said he finished diving first and noticed it was starting to get dark and he had not heard from his friend who was still in the water. The reporting person said the missing diver was last seen in a cove about 300 yards north of the Point Arena Light House. The reporting party was unable to locate his friend and called 9-1-1 for help.

Helicopters, boats, and personnel on land were utilized to search the area. The search continued into the night but the missing diver could not be found.

On 11-29-2015 the Mendocino County Sheriff Volunteer Search and Rescue Team, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, along with the United States Coast Guard, California State Parks, California Fish and Wildlife, and Redwood Coast Volunteer Fire protection District continued the search for the missing diver.

At about 10:05 AM the missing diver was located, deceased, by members of the Mendocino County volunteer Search and Rescue Team approximately ¼ mile north of the Point Arena Light House in the surf at the Manchester State Beach. The decedent’s name is being withheld pending Next of Kin notification.