Laguna man drowns after snorkeling accident

Mary A. Castillo

A Laguna Beach man who had been snorkeling at Woods Cove died

Wednesday after being taken to the hospital in full cardiac arrest.

The victim, 49-year-old Richard Varner, had been snorkeling with a

friend. Varner told his friend that his snorkel was leaking, Marine

Safety Chief Mark Klosterman said.

Moments later, the friend saw Varner struggling in the water. He

pulled him out and shouted for help. A passerby stopped and began

cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Laguna Beach police, fire and lifeguards arrived at Woods Cove at

5:33 p.m. Varner remained in full arrest while firefighters and,

later, South Coast Medical Center emergency room staff tried to save

him. Police notified family, who arrived at the hospital, where

Varner was pronounced dead.

Klosterman commended the quick thinking of Varner’s diving partner

and the unselfish actions of the passerby.

“Unconscious victims in the water are the toughest to handle, even

for a professional,” he said. “He did an excellent job.”

Although the Orange County coroner’s office has not released the

exact cause of death, Klosterman said that it takes a small amount of

water aspirated into the lungs to cause drowning.

“It was a tragedy,” he said. “The last thing you expect is death

and dying on our beaches.”