Man Who Died In Tomales Bay ID'd

TOMALES BAY, CA – The Marin County coroner's office today identified a man who died Tuesday while clamming in Tomales Bay as Hai Li Zhou, 29, of Sacramento.

Zhou was among five people in a watercraft that became stranded near "Clam Island" in Tomales Bay in adverse weather.

The Marin County Sheriff's Office and Fire Department, with assistance from Sonoma County Sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol's air operations, were called about 1 p.m. Tuesday to a report of five individuals stranded on an island in Tomales Bay near Tom's Point -- with two attempting to swim to shore in the "frigid and rough waters," officials said.

Sonoma County Sheriff's "Henry 1" helicopter crew was first to arrive at the scene and found three people already on land and another struggling to make it to shore, Marin deputies said.

One deputy swam out and rescued the swimmer, bringing him to safety, before the responders were informed of another person also in the waters.

Crews then located a person, later identified as Zhou, midway between the island and shoreline in an area only accessible by jet ski and helicopter, officials said. Using a long-line and multiple-agency coordination, including CHP paramedics on Helicopter H-30 and a Marin County fire captain on a jet ski, the victim's lifeless body was brought to shore, according to Marin deputies.

"Unfortunately, despite rescue and life-saving efforts by first responders, we can confirm that person was pronounced deceased at the scene," the agency said. "The other four subjects were treated at the scene and released."

A forensic examination for Zhou is set for Thursday to officially determine cause of death, the Marin coroner's office said, with officials adding: "The Marin County Sheriff’s Office and personnel of the Coroner Division offers our best wishes and condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Zhou."

This possible drowning marked the third to which the CHP's Golden Gate Division Air Operations responded in the last two weeks, officers said.

"This helicopter rescue demonstrates how a state and county helicopter-rescue program, staffed with officers and deputies, can simultaneously work together providing immediate life-saving measures," the CHP said.

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--Bay City News contributed to this report