The Region - News from Nov. 3, 1986

The search for a diver who abandoned his boat last week has been called off, the Coast Guard said. Two companions of Joe Douglas, 31, of Santa Barbara, were pulled safely from the sea Friday. They told rescuers they last saw Douglas swimming toward San Nicolas Island in his wet suit after the boat sank Thursday night. His suit was found floating about five miles from the island, 60 miles southwest of Los Angeles, the Coast Guard said. “Since we located his wet suit, we knew how long he had been in the water and his possibility of survival was almost non-existent,” said Lt. John Ochs.