In Reply to: Diver pulled by rip current is found dead posted by on November 07, 2005 at 06:09:49:

Man's Cause Of Death Unknown

A man who decided against scuba diving because of rough conditions off the La Jolla coast was later found unconscious in the water and pronounced dead early Sunday at a hospital, authorities said.

No information was immediately available about a possible cause of death.

Authorities were sent to an area just south of the Children's Pool at 11:54 p.m. Saturday, the investigator said.

They found the victim about 100 yards from shore, San Diego Lifeguard Lt. Greg Buchanan said. He was unconscious and not breathing, said the lifeguard.

The victim was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, where he was pronounced dead at 12:30 a.m., according to the medical examiner's office.

An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.

The victim's friends told authorities that he was at the surface of water about 20 feet deep, preparing for a dive, when he said he was returning to shore because of rough conditions, Buchanan said.

The victim then headed back to shore, Buchanan said. He was spotted by his companions a short time later, but then they lost sight of him, said Buchanan.

The death was the second local scuba-diving fatality in two weeks.

Daniel Fisch, 54, died while diving near kelp beds off Point Loma Oct. 30.

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