Laguna Beach Bodysurfer Death: 41-Year-Old Justin Shahani Dies After Rescue at Crescent Bay

Bodysurfer was found in cardiac arrest after lifeguards brought him to shore

LAGUNA BEACH, California — A 41-year-old Laguna Beach man died after lifeguards pulled him unconscious from the surf while he was bodysurfing Wednesday at South Crescent Bay Beach, city officials said. The man, identified Thursday as Justin Anand Shahani, was taken to a Mission Viejo hospital after rescuers found him in cardiac arrest on the shoreline.

According to a statement from the City of Laguna Beach, Marine Safety staff saw Shahani in the water at South Crescent Bay, a section of Crescent Bay Beach on the city’s northern coastline. Lifeguards brought him from the surf to shore, where they determined he was unconscious and in cardiac arrest.

Laguna Beach firefighters and Marine Safety personnel administered CPR before Shahani was transported to Mission Hospital Mission Viejo, officials said. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department coroner division identified Shahani on Thursday afternoon as a Laguna Beach resident. Authorities did not release a cause of death or say what may have led to the medical emergency in the water. The identification confirmed the victim’s name but did not provide further details about the circumstances preceding the rescue.

Second reported death this summer at Crescent Bay Beach

Shahani’s death marked the second reported fatality this summer at Crescent Bay Beach, a roughly quarter-mile cove that is frequented by swimmers, divers and bodysurfers. Its rocky coastline and popular surf conditions can draw visitors into open-water activity, while changing ocean conditions can quickly create hazards for even experienced beachgoers.

On Aug. 3, a 24-year-old swimmer who had been at Crescent Bay with a friend was reported missing after he was seen struggling in the water. Lifeguards later located the man unconscious, and he was pronounced dead, according to the information released about that incident.

Laguna Beach also saw another water-related tragedy in June, when a 5-year-old girl from San Bernardino was swept into the ocean. Her disappearance prompted a 24-hour search involving an aerial survey of the coastline before her body was found.

The recent deaths underscore the risks associated with Southern California’s beaches, where surf, currents and sudden emergencies can turn routine recreation into a life-threatening situation. City Marine Safety teams regularly monitor local waters and respond to rescues, but officials have not connected the three deaths or indicated whether conditions at Crescent Bay played a role in Shahani’s case.

As of Thursday, Shahani’s death remained under review by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department coroner division. No additional findings, including an official cause and manner of death, had been announced.