MISSING DIVER'S BODY RECOVERED

Published on June 29, 2005

© 2005- The Press Democrat

BYLINE:    Glenda Anderson

PAGE: B3

COLUMN: AROUND THE EMPIRE

The body of a San Jose man who disappeared Monday while abalone diving at Van Damme State Park was recovered from the ocean Tuesday afternoon.

Om Choi, 57, is the first abalone diver to die off the Mendocino Coast this year, said Mendocino County Sheriff's Lt. Don Miller. The ocean claims several abalone divers each year in Mendocino County, he said.

Choi was reported missing in the ocean about 3:10 p.m. Monday by the group he was diving with, Miller said.

His body was recovered from 20 feet of water by sheriff's search and rescue divers at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, he said.

Choi is presumed to have drowned, though it may have been initiated by health problems, Miller said. He said Choi was diabetic and had been diving all day without eating.

Choi also was carrying too much weight -- more than 30 pounds -- for his 140 pounds of body weight, Miller said. And, like most abalone divers who drown, he failed to remove the weight belt when he got into trouble.

Infobox: Shorter version ran city edition

Keywords: DROWNING DEATH OCEAN

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