Costa Mesa man dies, boy rescued after rip current pulls them offshore
A 36-year-old Costa Mesa man died Saturday after lifeguards pulled him from the ocean near the Santa Ana River jetty between Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, according to authorities.
Elias Duran and a boy whom authorities have not identified were in the ocean around 4 p.m. when a rip current began pulling them way from the shore, said Orange County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Jeff Hallock.
Lifeguards got both of them out of the water, and rescuers were able to save the boy, authorities said. However, Duran was pronounced dead at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, Hallock said.
Coroner’s officials suspect that Duran drowned, but they will perform an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death, according to authorities.
The area near the Santa Ana River jetty is known for strong currents that can quickly put swimmers in danger, said Newport Beach lifeguard Capt. Mike Ure.
High heat and warm water made for an unusually crowded October weekend along the coast, and rip currents accompanied by waves that topped 8 feet kept rescuers busy, Ure said.
Newport lifeguards said they rescued a total of 136 people from the surf Saturday and Sunday.
Jeremiah Dobruck
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