Posted by on January 27, 2005 at 12:08:09:
Sheriffs Department coroners have confirmed that a body found on Jan. 11, 200 miles north of Mendocino, was that of William Krupsky, 56, of San Francisco, who was diving in rough waters near Van Damme State Park with his wife Nov. 27 when the two became separated.
According to Sheriffs Lt. Don L. Miller, Krupskys body, still clad in his wetsuit, washed up on Pebble Beach in Del Norte County. A positive identification could not be made at that time, but was later confirmed by the Del Norte County Coroner through thumb print comparisons.
Lt. Miller said Krupskys wife remained on the Mendocino Coast, returning to the search location for about two weeks while the investigation continued. The search continued for over a month, involving personnel from the Sheriffs Department, State Parks, California Department of Forestry, the U.S. Coast Guard, Search and Rescue and other volunteers.
During the search, the body of a San Leandro woman was located in the ocean, about a mile offshore from Westport, while her vehicle was found in Mendocino. Lt. Miller said at the time that following storms on the coast, a rare tidal activity takes place which creates a northerly current. Lt. Miller speculated at the time that the same phenomenon may have swept Krupskys body away from the search area.
A Davidson Current, as Miller explained this week, may have brought Krupskys body out to sea where El Nino currents then carried it north. Investigators speculated that after some time, Krupskys abalone diving weight belt may have come off, allowing the body to float in the currents and wash ashore later.
In my 32 years, this has never happened, Lt. Miller said Monday.
Lt. Miller thanks all the involved agencies and volunteers who assisted in the search. I feel it was better for the family to see that we were out there every day and that we werent giving up, he said.