Scuba Diver’s Body Found Off Catalina
Sheriff’s divers on Thursday found the body of a scuba diver in the waters off Santa Catalina Island near where he disappeared more than one week ago, authorities said.
Eric Alan Flores, 20, a Navy aviation machinist’s mate and airman apprentice, was discovered about 10:30 a.m. off Long Point in 120 feet of water 100 yards from shore, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Detta Roberts said.
Flores, who was from La Puente, was last seen April 23 while diving with friends, who lost sight of him in deep water about 200 yards from shore, Roberts said.
Flores was on weekend leave from his base in San Diego when the accident occurred.
Since his disappearance, sheriff’s divers had searched the waters off Catalina, at one point using a sophisticated deep-water video camera on loan from Santa Barbara City College to scan waters as deep as 210 feet.
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