Search Continues For Diver Missing Near Santa Cruz Island
SANTA BARBARA (CBSLA) – The search continued Tuesday for a 34-year-old diver who went missing off Santa Cruz Island Sunday evening.
Ryder Sturt of Port Hueneme was diving for lobster with a partner off a 20-foot boat in the Painted Cave Preserve area of the island's coastline when he failed to surface and was reported missing at 6:45 p.m. Sunday, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.
The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Narwhal responded the radio call for help from Sturt's diving partner, and with the assistance of a sheriff's helicopter and dive teams, searched the ocean waters around Santa Cruz Island overnight Sunday and all day Monday with no success.
The search was continuing Tuesday morning. The Los Angeles and Ventura County Sheriff's dive teams was assisting.
No foul play is suspected in Sturt's disappearance.
Santa Cruz Island is located about 22 miles southwest of Santa Barbara.