Body Of Missing Swimmer Found Off Rancho Palos Verdes

RANCHO PALOS VERDES (CBSLA.com) — A body believed to belong to a swimmer who went missing off the beach of the Trump National Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes was found Tuesday morning on the shoreline.

A body matching the description of the missing swimmer was found at about 7:15 a.m. washed ashore in a secluded area east of the Portuguese Beach Bend Club located at 4100 Palos Verdes Dr., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The body was discovered by two fisherman.

The victim's identity remains unknown, LASD said.

Shortly before 7 p.m. Monday, a Good Samaritan reported hearing someone screaming for help in the area of Portuguese Bend, according to an LACFD dispatcher.

The individual was described to be a man in his mid-20s, wearing black shorts, black shoes and had multiple tattoos all over his body. He was last seen at approximately 6:50 p.m. swimming in the water with a swimming pool flotation device (aka a noodle) near the Trump National Golf Course.

A surfer told lifeguards that he paddled out, but the victim had slipped below the surface before he could reach him.

Boats, a helicopter and divers with the U.S. Coast Guard and LACFD were deployed to search for the man, but there was no sign of him.

The search then resumed at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Ocean Lifeguard Spencer Parker said the man's death is a reminder about swimming safety.

"Always remember to swim, surf, body board in front of an open lifeguard tower," he said, "if you ever have any questions about the current ocean conditions or hazards, check in with the lifeguard and always use the buddy system, of course, when you're going to go out and swim in the ocean."

Lifeguards also said pool noodles should not be used as flotation devices in the ocean.

Anyone with information on the victim is asked to call the Sheriff's department at (310) 539-1661.

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