Coroners to investigate man’s death near Catalina

The Los Angeles County coroner is expected to begin investigating the cause of death today of a Costa Mesa man who died off the coast of Catalina Island last week, county officials said Tuesday.

Timothy Hatch, 31, died Friday off the southwestern coast of Catalina Island while free-diving from a boat. Lifeguards speculated he may have died from a shallow water blackout or a lack of oxygen to the brain.

Hatch’s family notified the company he presided over, Linwood Engineering Associates, Monday.

“We want to celebrate a great man and mourn his loss. He was a selfless man and very generous and an absolutely brilliant engineer and leader,” said Adam Forni, Hatch’s friend for more than three years.

Calls to Hatch’s family were not immediately returned.

— Joseph Serna