Man who drowned is identified
Authorities on Thursday identified Soroy Ramsean of Pine Valley as the man who died near Newport Beach after disappearing under the water for more than an hour.
The Orange County Sheriff-Coroner determined that Ramsean, 22, drowned Wednesday afternoon.
Ramsean’s body was recovered about 2:15 p.m. from the surf line off 20th Street. His girlfriend had called 911 about an hour earlier after she and another witness saw him struggle to stay afloat in the waves near 18th Street and then eventually sink. Lifeguards from up and down the coast searched for him with the help of the Sheriff’s Department helicopter.
Firefighters said he had been body boarding and was wiped out by a wave. A surfer struggled to help him get back on his board, but another set came in and separated them, officials said.
The coroner will perform a toxicology exam with results expected back in four to six weeks.
Authorities Wednesday had initially reported that Ramsean was from Alpine, not Pine Valley, in east San Diego County.
— Joseph Serna