Scuba diver from Santa Rosa dies off Sonoma County coast

A Rohnert Park man died Sunday afternoon while scuba diving with friends off the northern Sonoma County coast, according to a state parks official.

The man, in his 50s, had been diving in Gerstle Cove in Salt Point State Park with two other divers, said Jeremy Stinson, supervising park ranger.

State parks officials alerted county dispatchers at 3:03 p.m. to a diver in distress and the Sonoma County Sheriff's helicopter Henry 1 responded.

A Salt Point park ranger was first to the cove and found the man's friends giving the man CPR, Stinson said. The ranger and a state parks lifeguard then took over.

As the helicopter arrived, a paramedic was dropped off to scramble down to the diver to continue giving CPR.

Sheriff's Lt. Steve Brown said the man was pronounced dead at 3:46 p.m. He was initially reported as an abalone diver. His identity wasn't released Sunday afternoon, but Stinson said he was a Rohnert Park man in his 50s.

The initial call for help said that as many as three people might have been in trouble in the water and three helicopters were dispatched. A CHP helicopter and REACH air ambulance headed to the call. The CHP chopper was canceled when it became clear it wasn't needed, a CHP spokesman said.

State parks lifeguards and rangers, Cal Fire and Timber Cove firefighters and a Coast Life Support ambulance also responded.

The three friends had gone to the cove for the day. Stinson said he didn't know the level of experience of the victim.

Gerstle Cove is a sheltered spot, favored by scuba divers and as a launching site for abalone divers who then head to nearby areas to seek abalone. The cove itself is closed for taking abalone, Stinson said.

The conditions Sunday weren't ideal for diving, Stinson said. While clear and sunny, it was windy and somewhat choppy and there were few abalone divers in the area.

The man's death was the ninth ocean-related fatality off of the North Coast this spring. Four abalone divers died in Mendocino County and four Sonoma County residents on a fishing boat died near Tomales Bay in Marin County.

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Editor's note: Early police reports, stated that the victim was from Santa Rosa, later investigations revealed that he was from Rohnert Park. This story has been updated to reflect the new information.