Body found near Balboa Pier

BALBOA PENINSULA -- A boater came upon a gruesome discovery Thursday

afternoon when he found a body floating near the Balboa Pier.

Authorities said the body, an unidentified middle-aged man, was found

shortly before 4:30 p.m. about a quarter-mile north of the pier and 100

yards offshore.

The witness, who was operating a 21-foot powerboat, saw the body floating

in the ocean and maneuvered closer to get a better look.

Sgt. Ron Peoples of the Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol said it

appeared the body may have been in the water for more than a week.

“He took on a lot of bloating that is making it hard for us to readily

identify him,” he said. “When there is bloating like that, the facial

features change. It looks like he has been in the water awhile.”

Peoples added the body didn’t have any signs of blunt trauma and it

appears foul play wasn’t a factor.

“It looks more like a drowning,” he said.

SI-- Greg Risling