breakwaterarial
The 2.2-mile breakwater, built by the U.S. Navy in the 1940s, will stay. File photo.

UPDATE | A Coast Guard helicopter crew searching the ocean off Long Beach recovered a man who had been heading to Catalina Island on a personal water craft but he was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

The crew of the MH-65 Dolphin helicopter located 20-year-old Jean Carlos Cheryl southeast of the Long Beach lighthouse Sunday night, hoisted him aboard and flew him to shore.

A friend had reported Cheryl missing hours earlier and his personal water craft was located around 2 p.m. near Long Beach.

The Coast Guard says he was pronounced dead at Long Beach Memorial Hospital.

— Associated Press

PREVIOUSLY: U.S. Coast Guard, Long Beach marine personnel search for missing jet skier

02/10/2019 at 3:17 p.m. | U.S. Coast Guard and Long Beach Marine Safety personnel are searching for a jet skier who separated from his group in the ocean near Long Beach, authorities said.

The missing person, described only as a Caucasian male, was part of a group of jet skiers who left the Alamitos Bay Marina about 9 a.m. toward Catalina Island, said Long Beach fire spokesman Jack Crabtree.

The jet skiers traveled a “distance out there” before they turned around, Crabtree said.

Authorities have since found the person’s jet ski but are still searching for him about 10 miles out from the east end of the federal breakwater, Crabtree said.

The search includes the use of the Coast Guard’s Search and Rescue helicopters and several boats and resources on the water from LBFD, the Coast Guard and the Orange County Fire Authority.

“We’re doing everything we can to locate the person as fast as we can,” Crabtree said.

 

Stephanie Rivera is the community engagement editor. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter at @StephRivera88.