Firefighters recovered a body Tuesday at the base of the bluffs along West Paseo Del Mar in San Pedro after getting reports of a person in the water below the cliffs. The recovery unfolded in the Sunken City and Point Fermin area, where sheer drop-offs meet a rocky shoreline. Authorities said the circumstances surrounding the death were still unclear.
According to LAFD, fire companies responded to the Sunken City area for a report of an individual in the water near 500 W Paseo Del Mar. The incident was logged as INC#1529, and firefighters determined the person was deceased at the scene. The post notes the call was handled by the South Bureau and that LAPD recorded it as incident number 3881. LAFD added that the circumstances surrounding the death remain uncertain and that the investigation is ongoing.
Where it happened
The recovery took place near Point Fermin Park and the so-called Sunken City, a collapsed stretch of Paseo Del Mar that has been closed to the public for years because of unstable ground. The area has long been the scene of cliffside rescues and body recoveries and is now the focus of city plans for safety upgrades and a possible limited reopening, part of a long-awaited comeback. Even with fencing and warning signs, the sweeping ocean views here still tempt people to slip past the barriers.
What officials said
LAFD’s public alerts show that units from Fire Station 48 and other companies are frequently dispatched to technical cliff rescues and body recoveries in this sector, with past incidents involving hoist operations and transfers to the coroner for identification and cause-of-death determinations. In this latest case, LAFD’s post and alert information indicate LAPD is handling the investigative follow-up while firefighters completed the recovery. At the time of the department’s post, officials had not released any identifying information about the person recovered.
Safety and local context
City officials and local leaders have been working on new monitoring and fencing plans for Sunken City in an effort to cut down on risky visits. Councilmember Tim McOsker’s office told LAist the work will include redesigned barriers and environmental monitoring. Local coverage has repeatedly documented similar incidents, including an April body recovery that required LAFD air operations to hoist a decedent from the beach, as reported by CBS Los Angeles. Neighbors and first responders continue to urge visitors to obey posted closures and stay well back from the cliff edge.
Police and the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner will determine the person’s identity and cause of death as the investigation continues, and LAFD has referred questions about the circumstances of the case to LAPD. This story will be updated if officials release additional information.
