A man died while skinny-dipping in the ocean off the coast of San Diego, lifeguards confirmed Wednesday.
The 27-year-old man was swimming with four friends off Ocean Beach at approximately 4 a.m., north of the pier and Ocean Beach Park.
Friends say the man went farther out from the jetty than the rest of the group, San Diego Fire-Rescue Lt. Andy Lerum said. When they couldn't find him in the dark water, they called 911.
Lifeguards found the man quickly but he was unconscious with no steady heartbeat, Lerum said.
Emergency personnel performed CPR on the man and rushed him to UCSD where he was pronounced dead hours later.
Lerum said the man may have gotten caught in a rip current and couldn't swim back to shore.
Officials have identified the man only as a Mexicali resident.
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With water temperatures currently in the mid-70s, it can be tempting to night swim but lifeguards don't advise swimming at night without lifeguards on duty, Lerum said.
