A man died Sunday morning after being pulled unconscious from the ocean at Dockweiler Beach in Playa del Rey, as Southern California remained under dangerous surf and coastal-flood warnings generated partly by former Hurricane Rachel.
The incident happened near Tower 42 in the 6900 block of Pacific Avenue around 8:30 a.m. Two witnesses told authorities they had seen the man repeatedly entering and leaving the water before noticing him in distress.
“He was in and out of the water, swimming and on land,” Los Angeles County Fire Department Ocean Lifeguard Specialist Jake Miller said. Witnesses ultimately saw him near the shoreline before a patrol lifeguard responded and pulled him from the surf.
Bystanders on a morning walk had observed the individual “acting erratically near the water line,” repeatedly entering the rough surf before being spotted rolling in the whitewash near the shore.
Lifeguards immediately began CPR, later using an automated compression device as Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics arrived. Rescuers continued lifesaving efforts for approximately 20 minutes before the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said there was no indication of foul play.
Although the death was initially reported as a drowning, the Medical Examiner will determine the official cause. Miller said drowning was possible, but a medical emergency could also have occurred. Surf at Dockweiler itself was estimated around 2 to 4 feet that morning
Still, conditions across Los Angeles County beaches were dangerous.
The National Weather Service had issued a High Surf Advisory calling for 5-to-8-foot breaking waves and powerful rip currents. Forecasters explicitly warned of an “increased risk for ocean drowning,” saying rip currents could pull swimmers and surfers offshore
Rachel’s swell arrived during an extraordinary stretch of coastal flooding. Ocean water inundated roads and damaged homes from Newport Beach to Long Beach, while unusually high tides combined with elevated sea levels to amplify the storm’s effects.
The powerful tropical system delivered widespread damage and severe coastal flooding across Southern California’s coastline. In Laguna Beach, high tides and storm surges flooded downtown streets, while massive waves violently battered seawalls and boardwalks in Long Beach and Newport Beach, causing extensive property damage, beach erosion, and municipal states of emergency.
For beachgoers, Sunday’s tragedy in Los Angeles offered a sobering reminder that dangerous surf doesn’t always have to look enormous.
As Miller put it: “Any time there is water someone can drown.”
Rest in peace to the deceased.
Related: Watch: 25-Foot Backwash Explodes as Hurricane Rachel Swell Floods Orange County
Original Post from this site