Man is found floating in harbor

Two kayakers discovered a man, who was later pronounced dead, floating face-down in Newport Harbor early Saturday morning.

When the kayakers found the man around 6:30 a.m., he was fully clothed and floating in the middle of Newport Harbor near the Orange Coast College sailing center in the 1800 block of West Coast Highway, said Newport Beach Sgt. Shontel Sherwood.

The Orange County Harbor Patrol first responded, and the man was taken to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, where he was pronounced dead, Sherwood said. Newport Beach police were later called to the area, she said.

“It was strange because they found him face-down, fully clothed, and there were no other boats around,” said Susan Caustin, who was out rowing on Newport Harbor early Saturday morning and saw the man after the kayakers had already pulled him into their boat.

The dead man was 49 years old and from the Newport-Mesa area, Sherwood said.

Law enforcement officials are waiting to notify the man’s relatives before releasing his name to the public, she said.

Newport Beach police are investigating the man’s death and are awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine how he died, Sherwood said.

An autopsy on the man was expected to be completed on Sunday, Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy Allison O’Neal said Saturday.