Coroner IDs Swimmer Who Drowned In Laguna Beach

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — A Huntington Beach man who died while trying to help a fellow swimmer in distress at Table Rock Beach was identified Wednesday by authorities.

The Orange County coroner identified the victim as 27-year-old Javier Vargas Cuellar.

Lifeguards and emergency responders went to help the swimmers distress, said Laguna Beach police Sgt. Jim Cota.

Two men and two women jumped off the rocks to the north of Table Rock Beach into the water when they were pulled out by a strong rip current, Cota said.

The men were able to escape, but at least one of the women remained in trouble.

"Cuellar swam back out to help her," Cota said. "With his help, the female was able to swim back, but he was last seen going under the surface."

Lifeguards searched for the man to no avail, and at one point, there were over thirty lifeguards in the water, according to Cota.
An Orange County Fire Authority helicopter and an Orange County Sheriff's Department Harbor Patrol boat responded to assist, and police and firefighters established a command post.

A half-hour after the search began, Cuellar was found unresponsive in the water, Cota said.

He was brought to the beach, taken via helicopter to Mission Hospital-Mission Viejo, where he was pronounced dead.