Three Abalone Divers Killed Off Sonoma, Mendocino Coast

Three abalone divers, including a former Pacifica firefighter, died in separate incidents at Sonoma and Mendocino last weekend as negative-low tides brought divers out to pursue the single-shelled mollusk, area media reported.

Strong rip tides made for rugged conditions in some areas and may have contributed to the deaths, authorities told CBS Local News.

The retired Pacifica firefighter, whose name has not been released, died Saturday afternoon off the shore of Shell Beach in Sonoma County, examinier.com reported. The 66-year-old man was several feet below the surface still wearing his weight belt, according to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.

The second death occurred Sunday when a 36-year-old man was pulled to shore by several other divers at Salt Point State Park in Sonoma County. He'd been caught in a rip current and pulled under. People attempted CPR on the man but he was pronounced dead by medics.

A third diver was found dead later Sunday. He was under about 15 feet of water off MacKerricher State Park beach, north of Fort Bragg in Mendocino County, according to the Press Democrat.

The identities of the divers had not been released as of 10 a.m. Monday.

California's red abalone is considered a delicacy by many. They're also a challenge to obtain. No scuba or surface-supplied air is allowed while taking abalone, according to state regulations. Divers are limited to three abalone per day or 24 per season. The two-part abalone season, which runs April through June and August through October.

A Fish and Game biologist in Fort Bragg said there's been a 10-fold increase in the number of abalone divers in Northern California in the past two decades, according to this undated article from Coast News that talks about the dangers of abalone diving and discusses requiring divers to take a safety class before getting in the water.

Ditching a weight belt is a common way for abalone divers to self-rescue when they run into trouble. Because divers wear wet suits, dropping the inexpensive belt provides instant buoyancy.