A scuba diver died Wednesday evening in an underwater accident at the Mission Bay Channel.
A captain of a nearby vessel sent out a distress call to lifeguards when the diver started struggling below the surface at about 7 p.m., just south of Mission Point.
Responding lifeguards had a hard time getting the man out of the water because of the heavy equipment he was wearing, San Diego Fire officials say. They believe that may have been the source of the diver's problems.
When they finally pulled him out, he had been underwater between four to eight minutes, according to estimates.
Lifeguards performed CPR on him at their Quivira Court headquarters. The diver was then transported to UC San Diego Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 8:05 p.m.
The investigation into the man's death will continue Thursday morning. Investigators will search for the diver's equipment that may have fallen to the ocean floor during his struggle.