Three abalone divers died off the Sonoma coast this weekend

One man who died was a Pacifican, identified as retired firefighter Cedric Collett.

Santa Rosa Press Democrat/Randi Rossmann, 4/29/13. "Three Bay Area abalone divers die in North Coast drownings."

Attempt to save Kenneth Liu, Sunday morning

"Three abalone divers who died this weekend off of the North Coast were all Bay Area men. The triple deaths were the first of this year's abalone season in the region and the worst total in less than 24 hours in recent law enforcement memory.

A diver who drowned Sunday morning in rough water off of a Fort Bragg beach was 50-year-old Henry Choy of San Bruno, said Mendocino County Deputy Coroner Scott Polma Monday. The other Sunday victim was Kenneth Liu, 36, of San Francisco, said the Sonoma County Coroner's Office Monday. Liu died while diving off of Fisk Mill Cove. Retired Pacifica firefighter Cedric Collett, 66, died Saturday afternoon while diving for abalone off of a Sea Ranch beach."   Read article.  Note:  Photograph from this article.

Related -  San Mateo County Times/Associated Press, 4/29/13. "Retired Pacifica firefighter one of 3 divers killed over weekend off Northern California coast."  "SANTA ROSA-- Three abalone (ab-ah-LOH'-nee) divers, including one from Pacifica, were killed in separate accidents over the weekend in Northern California, where powerful rip currents were reported.  The Press Democrat reports a very low tide drew divers to the beaches looking for sea snails. The body of a 66-year-old retired Pacifica firefighter was found Saturday afternoon off Sonoma County's Shell Beach.

On Sunday morning, several divers helped pull a 36-year-old San Francisco man to shore after he got caught in a rip tide off nearby Salt Point State Park. He couldn't be revived.  Several hours later, a diver was found dead north of Fort Bragg. A Sonoma County sheriff's sergeant says the man was found about 15 feet below the water and might have been snagged in rocks."

Posted by Kathy Meeh