A 51-year-old diver reported missing from a morning diving class in Laguna Beach’s Shaw’s Cove was pulled “unresponsive” from the water Friday by rescue personnel, who immediately began performing CPR on the victim, police said.
Laguna lifeguards, police and fire officials who responded to the scene learned that one of the participants in a diving class was missing after the instructors conducted a head count, Laguna Beach police Capt. Jason Kravetz said in a statement.
Citizens called “911” about 11:21 a.m. Friday and told dispatchers they heard people screaming for help in the ocean off of Shaw’s Cove, Kravetz said.
The diver was located in the water 90 minutes after rescuers arrived, Kravetz said.
The Harbor Patrol, the Orange County Sheriff’s helicopter, U.S. Coast Guard and Newport Beach lifeguards participated in the rescue. Emergency personnel performed CPR on the Orange County resident aboard a Newport lifeguard boat en route to Newport Harbor, where he was transferred to an awaiting ambulance and taken to the hospital, said Kravetz, adding that the incident is under investigation.
