Diver Dies Soon After Entering Sea

A scuba diver was found floating 100 yards off Moss Point in Laguna Beach on Monday, minutes after someone spotted him going into the surf, lifeguard officials said.

Miguel Decipulo Cabus, 42, of Laguna Hills was pronounced dead on the shore by paramedics shortly after 6 a.m., said Mark Klosterman, chief of marine safety for Laguna Beach.

“He broke the golden rule of diving,” Klosterman said. “He was not with a buddy.”

A resident of the 2100 block of Ocean Way told police he saw the lone diver walking toward the beach about 5:50 a.m. A short while later, when the resident looked out into the ocean, he noticed the motionless body and dialed 911.

The water was calm, presenting little apparent risk, Klosterman said.

The Orange County coroner’s office will conduct a full investigation into the death, including toxicology tests. Results should be available in about two months, a coroner’s deputy said.

The famous coves, reefs and rocky outcroppings along one of the coast’s most beautiful shorelines are a draw for scuba divers, Klosterman said. The seven-mile stretch is one of the biggest attractions in the state for divers, and one of the most dangerous, he said, with Laguna Beach lifeguards averaging 200 scuba-related rescues annually.

Monday’s was the second diving-related death this year. Previously, a Huntington Beach man died of an apparent heart attack after he was separated from his group near a small cove in Laguna Beach.