2 abalone divers die off Northern California coast

Two abalone divers died in separate incidents off the northern Sonoma Coast over the weekend, authorities said.

One of the divers was found dead Sunday on the ocean floor, his weight belt still attached. The other was found a day earlier floating in waters popular with divers near Fort Ross State Park.

Authorities were awaiting autopsy results to determine how the two men died, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported.

Sonoma County coroner officials identified the divers as Alan Russell Rosenlicht, 57, of Oakland, and Clyde Thompson, 67, of San Francisco.

Rosenlicht was found on the ocean floor Sunday when other divers decided to check on an unattended flotation device used by abalone divers off Kolmer Gulch, Jeremy Stinson, a supervising ranger at Fort Ross State Historic Park, told the Press Democrat.

The divers pulled him ashore and attempted to revive him, but he was declared dead by emergency responders at 5:11 p.m.

On Saturday, Thompson was found floating in the water about 50 yards from his floatation device. He had been diving in Gerstle Cove in Salt Point State Park.

He was reported missing by his girlfriend when he didn’t return after leaving at 9 a.m., Stinson told the Press Democrat. He was pronounced dead at 12:22 p.m.

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jason.wells@latimes.com

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