Body Recovered in Ocean off Hermosa Beach

Updated 2:09 p.m.

A search that began as a "person in the water" ocean rescue/recovery has turned into a homicide investigation now that the body has been recovered floating one mile off the shore of Hermosa Beach, according to Los Angeles County officials.

A call from a boater who'd seen a body in the ocean near the Manhattan Beach Pier first came in around 2:23 p.m. Thursday, said Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Brian Riley Friday, with Batallion Chief Jon O'Brien confimring who had seen the body. Baywatch Redondo was dispatched with Baywatch Cabrillo and Baywatch Del Rey later joining in the search. A U.S. Coast Guard Airship was also seen combing the coast during the search Thursday.

The body was found at 5:07 p.m., said L.A. County Fire Department Inspector Quvondo Johnson, and taken to a harbor patrol office in Redondo Beach for further investigation. 

Family members of the deceased must first be notified before the dead man's name can be publicly released, said Aura Sierra-Lidman, L.A. County deputy. Homicide detectives, who began their investigation after receiving a call around 7:40 p.m. Thursday, will attempt to identify the body and determine a cause of death.