Body is found floating at beach

An unidentified man died in the water off 14th Street in Newport Beach, lifeguard officials said Thursday. His death marks the first off Newport waters this year, lifeguards said.

The 44-year-old Costa Mesa resident was found floating face down about 15 to 20 yards off shore just before 2 p.m., said Jenn Schulz, fire department spokeswoman.

Witnesses reported seeing the man in the water for at least 30 minutes body surfing with other people before he was found unconscious, floating but breathless, said Jim Turner, a lifeguard battalion chief.

It doesn’t appear he had gone to the beach with any friends or relatives, officials said.

Police issued a call out for anyone who knew the man and police did not find any stray towels or belongings that apparently belonged to him, officials said.

Schulz said about 1:53 p.m. a surfer out in the waves reported seeing the man, who he’d seen body surfing earlier, appearing OK just as one wave came in and floating face down immediately after.

The Orange County Sheriff Coroner’s Office said Thursday night that the man could have drowned. No signs of visible trauma were found on his body, coroners said.

Authorities are withholding the victim’s name until his family is notified.

Newport Beach is experiencing the largest swell so far this year, Turner said. Waves were peaking between 4 and 6 feet with a periodic riptide, but nothing extraordinary, Turner added.

Lifeguards from Towers 13 and 15 immediately responded and helped swim the man to shore, where they performed CPR, officials said.

Newport Beach paramedics arrived and continued CPR as they drove the man to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, where he was pronounced dead.