A search for a swimmer was called off Wednesday when rescuers were unable to find any evidence that anyone was missing or had drowned.
Authorities got a call at 7:09 p.m. Tuesday about a swimmer in distress about 50 yards off shore, according to Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Tim Kleiser.
“The caller said they saw someone waving with their hand up,” he said.
Lifeguards and divers searched for the swimmer in the water, and an Orange County Sheriff’s Department helicopter crew scouted the area from the air, Kleiser said.
The search was called off at 8:30 p.m. due to darkness, he said.
The search resumed Wednesday morning, but was called off again at 9 a.m. when lifeguards and divers could not find any evidence of a swimmer in distress, Kleiser said.
There have been no missing persons reports and there were no signs on the beach that someone had gone into the water and not returned, such as an abandoned surfboard or beach bag, Kleiser said.
“Some of the people out there thought maybe it was some wildlife out there in the water — they weren’t really sure — so we’ve had conflicting reports of what it was,” he said.
—City News Service