The body discovered off Ocean Beach on Wednesday has been identified as that of 50-year-old Danny Marron, a kayaker from Yuma, Arizona, who went missing near Mission Beach on Valentine’s Day.
Officials from the county confirmed Marron’s identity on Friday afternoon to NBC 7. He was reported missing following a kayaking incident on February 14 when his kayak was found snapped in half, but he was nowhere to be found despite an extensive three-day search. The U.S. Coast Guard ended the search efforts on Monday, citing challenging environmental conditions and low probabilities of survival.
According to San Diego Fire-Rescue spokesman Jose Ysea, the discovery of Marron’s body was initiated by a surfer who spotted it near the surf line close to the Ocean Beach Pier, not far from the site where he was last seen. Lifeguards commenced a search in the area, but strong waves hampered their initial efforts, causing them to cease operations shortly after 8 a.m.
Later in the day, around 2 p.m., recovery efforts resumed successfully, and Marron’s body was located near the intersection of Cape May Avenue and Abbott Street, as reported by the San Diego Fire Department.
Marron is remembered as a devoted family man, survived by his wife and daughter, and he served as a youth ministry bishop.
