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Surfer Dies In Uppers Lineup

Unidentified surfer found face down in the water.

news // Dec 3, 2018
Words by stab
Reading Time: < 1 minute

After a deluge or rain earlier in the week and a subsequent stormy conditions along the Orange County coastline, on Saturday morning, December 1, a surfer was found dead in the water at Upper Trestles.

Witnesses reported seeing the man, who was believed to be in his mid 40s and currently remains unidentified, “struggling” while attempting to duck dive and paddle out to the lineup. He was later found face down in the water.

Surfers responded to the situation and began to attempt to revive him on the beach. Camp Pendleton Fire Department responded to the call but were unsuccessful in their attempt to resuscitate him. According to the San Clemente Times, he was pronounced dead on the scene at 7:36am.

“They rescued him, brought him to the beach and did CPR for 10 minutes,” Rich Haydon, south sector Superintendent for State Parks, to the Orange County Register.

It is unclear at this point if the man’s cause of death was related to the surf, which was in the waist- to shoulder-high zone, or if there were health factors such as a heart attack in play.

The San Diego County Department of the Medical Examiner has yet to release the official cause of death. Stab wishes to extend condolences to family and friends of the victim.

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