Abalone Diver Who Died on Sonoma Coast Was From South San Francisco

The Sonoma County coroner's office has identified the abalone diver who died on the Sonoma Coast on Thursday as 42-year-old Jason Chak Yin Cheung of South San Francisco.

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said Cheung appeared to suffer a medical problem while looking for abalone.

Cheung was found on the rocks south of Pedotti Ranch in Fort Ross State Historic Park, sheriff's Lt. Glen Lawrence said.

Cheung and another person were in water about chest high when Cheung collapsed around 9:30 a.m. Thursday, apparently because of a heart problem or other medical issue, Lawrence said.

Cheung's companion flagged down a sheriff's deputy who was driving on state Highway 1 and the sheriff's office's helicopter, Henry-1, responded to the incident, which was initially believed to be a drowning.

Cheung was pronounced dead at 10:10 a.m. and an autopsy is scheduled for today, a spokeswoman for the coroner's office said.

-Bay City News