Woman dies after scuba diving off Catalina Island coast

A 64-year-old woman died Saturday morning after scuba diving at a popular location off the coast of Catalina Island.

The woman, identified by the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office as Carolyn Alvarez, was diving near the Casino Point underwater park when she started showing signs of distress, authorities said.

A man Alvarez was diving with helped bring her to shore and witnesses called 911 and rendered aid, according to NBC-4.

Paramedics responded to the scene shortly after 10 a.m. and took Alvarez to a hospital where she died, authorities said. The L.A. County medical examiner’s office has not yet determined Alvarez’s cause of death.

Casino Point — the region where Alvarez was diving — is a popular location for scuba diving enthusiasts. The underwater habitat is home to the state fish, the Garibaldi, along with angel sharks, bat rays and other marine life.