Search for Missing Diver Is Called Off

Lifeguards on Thursday called off a futile two-day search for a diver who disappeared from a group of other divers in the waters off Cleo Street Beach, police said.

George Godwin, 44, of San Dimas was last seen by his companions at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday in the water off the downtown beach, said Sgt. Greg Bartz of the Laguna Beach Police Department. After his three fellow divers contacted police, lifeguards from Laguna Beach and Newport Beach searched the area until dark but were unable to locate him, Bartz said.

The search was resumed Thursday morning but called off after “a complete pattern search of the area” failed to locate Godwin, Bartz said.

“The teams went out and covered the entire area, taking into consideration the currents and tides,” Bartz said. “Anything beyond that would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.”