Authorities looking for a lacking off-duty Los Angeles Hearth Division firefighter who went on a leisure dive with three different males Wednesday off the Lengthy Seaside coast have transitioned their efforts from a search-and-rescue mission to a restoration operation.
The lacking firefighter is 29-year-old Connor Lees, an L.A. Hearth Division spokesperson stated Friday.
“As search operations have continued over the last 19 hours, the survivability profile of the diver and decreased visibility have made it difficult to sustain prolonged search operations,” the Lengthy Seaside Hearth Division said in an Instagram submit.
These components, the Lengthy Seaside Hearth Division stated, together with the “extended time since the diver was last seen,” in the end led to the choice, made by a number of companies concerned, to vary the standing of the operation.
The incident will now be turned over to the Lengthy Seaside Police Division to guide the restoration operation. The Lengthy Seaside and Los Angeles fireplace departments will proceed to remain engaged within the operations.
“The decision to transition operations to recovery mission is not taken lightly,” the Lengthy Seaside Hearth Division submit stated. “As we make this transition, our thoughts and prayers continue for the family of the missing diver and for our brothers and sisters at the Los Angles City Fire Department.”
Wednesday night, a gaggle of 4 males departed from the Port of Lengthy Seaside to go free diving.
Free diving entails an individual holding their breath for so long as potential whereas diving and swimming with out using tools comparable to scuba gear.
One of many males is presumed to be the motive force of the small vessel carrying the three others, stated Brian Fisk, a Lengthy Seaside Hearth Division spokesperson. Ultimately, two males returned from free diving whereas a 3rd didn’t, Fisk stated.
The boys known as for emergency help at 9:55 p.m. Wednesday, and the Lengthy Seaside Hearth Division responded with divers and marine property at 10:17 p.m., Fisk stated.
The emergency name prompted a multiagency response that included the Los Angeles Metropolis Hearth Division, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Los Angeles County Hearth Division Lifeguard Division and Los Angeles Port Police.
Authorities have been and can proceed to seek for the lacking diver with the help of aspect scan sonar, which, based on the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is particularly used for detecting objects on the seafloor.
