Scuba diver dies at Salt Point State Park

A scuba diver died Saturday at Gerstle Cove in Salt Point State Park, sheriff’s officials said.

The man, 51 and from the Fremont area, was diving with a friend Saturday afternoon when he suffered some type of medical distress, sheriff’s officials said in a news release.

His diving partner, who did not see what happened to the man, swam over to assist him and found him unconscious and unresponsive, his face underwater, sheriff’s officials said. The friend attempted to rescue the diver, but the man sank out of sight in about 30 to 50 feet of water.

Rescue personnel were called about 2:27 p.m. and arrived 12 minutes later, sheriff’s officials said. At about 3:32 p.m., a diver found the submerged man. California State Parks lifeguards dove and recovered the man, who was pronounced dead after he was brought to shore.

Personnel from Timber Cove Fire, California State Parks, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, the Coast Guard and Cal-Fire responded to the call.

The man’s identity was not release, pending notification of his family.