Laguna Beach : Rescue Efforts Fail; Scuba-Diver, 27, Dies

A 27-year-old Ontario man died Sunday after a scuba-diving accident in 20 feet of water off Laguna Beach, authorities said.

Bryan White was diving with a group of five or six people off Moss Street Beach on Sunday morning when he became separated from the group under water and shot to the surface in distress, yelling for help, according to fire and police officials.

His wife and a young son, who was described as being about four years old, watched the accident from the shore, Laguna Beach Fire Capt. Jim Boka said. The diving group went to his aid and swam White to the beach, and group members administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation while waiting for paramedics to arrive, Boka said.

White was taken by helicopter to the decompression chamber of the University of Southern California’s Marine Science Center in Avalon on Catalina Island, where he was pronounced dead, Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Linda Parker said.