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Diver dies off Laguna shore

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Authorities on Tuesday identified the man who died after suffering a cardiac arrest while scuba diving off Laguna Beach as Paul Peto of Yorba Linda.

Peto, 66, was diving with his adult son off Diver’s Cove on Sunday when the health crisis hit, according to authorities.

Laguna Beach Marine Safety officials received a 911 call at 3:08 p.m., marine safety Lt. Scott Diederich said. Laguna lifeguards helped the son pull Peto, already in cardiac arrest, onto shore, where they began CPR, Diederich said.

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Laguna Beach firefighters and Newport Beach paramedics assisted but were unable to revive Peto, who was taken to Mission Hospital Laguna Beach, Diederich said.

He was pronounced dead at 4:10 p.m., according to the coroner’s website.

The two men were about 100 yards offshore in water 15 to 20 feet deep, Diederich said.

“Surf was small, 1 to 3 feet, and there was no surge.”

He added, “We did everything we could: CPR, defibrillator, the Fire Department and paramedics came.”

Officials originally gave Peto’s age as 67 but clarified on Tuesday that he was 66.

—Bryce Alderton

Twitter: @AldertonBryce

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