Body Of Free Diver Reported Missing Off Palos Verdes Coast Recovered

PALOS VERDES (CBSLA.com) — Authorities on Saturday said they found the body of a free diver reported missing off the Palos Verdes coast Friday evening.

The search began off the coast near 1308 Palos Verdes Drive West shortly after 8:20 p.m. Friday, after the owner of a boat the diver was using called the county fire department to report it, according to L.A. County Lifeguard Capt. Kenichi Haskett.

"The boat was docked in King Harbor in Redondo Beach and he called our Hermosa Beach lifeguard station to report it being overdue," Haskett said.

"He told us he had given it to a man on Thursday, who wanted to do some diving off shore," he said

Kenichi said the county lifeguards then notified the U.S. Coast Guard and began searching for the missing man and the boat.

"We found the boat, an 18-foot motorboat, about a mile off shore near Palos Verdes," Kenichi continued. "We also found a red buoy in the water by the boat."

The fire department sent two divers into the water where the buoy was located, but Kenichi said visibility was very limited and they couldn't find the diver. The boat was towed back to shore, he said.

The search was eventually suspended for the night, but Kenichi said it will resume about 7 a.m. today and a helicopter will be brought in to help with the search.

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