Search called off in Laguna; missing swimmer might have been sea lion

Lifeguards scoured the Laguna Beach coastline for a possible missing swimmer Tuesday evening but called off the search around dusk because of reports that the swimmer might have been a sea lion, according to police.

Authorities got a call at 7:09 p.m. that several people had seen a hand waving and heard someone asking for help in the water at Camel Point Beach, Laguna Beach police Sgt. George Ramos said.

Other witnesses, however, reported they had seen a sea lion in the same area, police said.

Eighteen lifeguards began searching with help from an Orange County helicopter, patrol boat and personal watercraft, Ramos said.

Police also assisted by checking the beach for any unattended property that may have been left behind by a swimmer who didn’t make it back to shore.

After finding nothing, authorities called off the search around 8:30 p.m., Ramos said.