A multi-hour search of local waters failed to locate a potentially missing man from the Santa Monica pier on Sunday morning.
A fisherman approached the Harbor Division office on the Santa Monica Pier at about 2 a.m. on Sunday morning to report a sighting of a man in the water. The officer on duty followed up with conversations with a second fisherman who also reported seeing someone in the water. The potential witness described a man wearing dark clothing with a dark hooded jacket.
The officer activated a water rescue protocol that involved lifeguards, Sheriff Deputies and the Coast Guard.
While divers from SMPD entered the water to conduct an underwater search of the pier, other officers patrolled the water by boat, searched nearby beaches and conducted a helicopter search.
“We put divers into the water twice to search under the Pier, North and South,” said Rob Silverstein, Public Services Administrator for the police department. “Lifeguards also used a robotic device to search under and around the pier.”
The search was ended between 11 a.m. and noon without any sign of a potential victim. While no officials saw evidence of someone in the ocean, Silverstein said officers found the initial report credible. He said no missing persons report had been made to local officers as of Monday morning.
He said officers on the pier receive a report of someone in the water about once a week during the warm months. While some individuals do jump from the pier, he said many of the calls are unfounded and witnesses sometimes report ocean swimmers as potential jumpers from the pier or mistake.
Anyone with information on the incident can contact SMPD at (310) 395-9931.
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