Awning Company in Palos Verdes Estates, CA

Law enforcement officials have provided an update on the discovery of a body on a beach in Rancho Palos Verdes.

The discovery was made on Saturday afternoon around 1:00 p.m. off a hiking trail near Pelican Cove, according to preliminary information.

The exact location of the body is near Dina’s Viewpoint, located on Palos Verdes Drive South.

At a press conference Sunday morning, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Steve DeJong confirmed that deputies responded to the 31000 block of Palos Verdes Drive South when a female hiker, who was hiking Dina’s Viewpoint, encountered the body.

She subsequently called the sheriff’s department, who responded with the L.A. County Fire Department and confirmed that it was a human body upon making their way down the canyon searching the area. The person was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders, Lt. DeJong stated.

“While [the hiker] was admiring the surroundings, she looked down and noticed what she thought was a body down at the base of the cliff,” Lt. DeJong said. “The body was about 50 to 60 feet above the sea floor, and it appears based on our limited expertise with identifying decaying bodies, that it’s probably been there for a few months…it’s in a severe state of decay.”

“Today, L.A. County Homicide Unit detectives were on scene handling a death investigation in an attempt to determine the cause of death, [looking into] whether this was a slip and fall or if it was some sort of foul play,” he continued, but did not elaborate further.

Saturday’s discovery comes just days after two human legs were found on the Bluff Cove Trail near the 800 block of Paseo del Mar in Palos Verdes Estates, approximately four and a half miles from the body found near Dina’s Viewpoint.

This discovery was reported the day after the disappearance of a pair of boaters whose vessel was found less than two miles away from where they had launched at Cabrillo Beach; however, Lt. DeJong confirmed that the body discovered on Saturday afternoon was not connected to that investigation.

Officials could not establish a connection between the missing boaters and the discovery of the severed legs earlier this week, saying there was no “direct indication” that the remains belonged to the two boaters although “all possibilities are being considered.”

On Wednesday, the Coast Guard suspended their search for the two boaters, only identified as two men in their 50s, citing no signs of distress. Searchers had been using both air and sea methods in the attempt to find the boaters, but authorities found no evidence that the men could be alive.

PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif. (KABC) -- Rescue crews are searching for two missing boaters off the coast of Palos Verdes Estates.

According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the two men were supposed to be picked up by a friend early Tuesday morning at the Cabrillo Marina but did not show up at the boat ramp.

Crews began a search at about 5:30 a.m. and found a boat up against the rocks near the 1800 block of Paseo Del Mar, but the men remain missing, the fire department said.

#CoastGuard 25’ crew from Sector LA/LB searching for 2 PIWs near Palos Verdes. Vessel found overturned after being reported overdue this morning. Baywatch Cabrillo, Baywatch Redondo, @LAPortPolice @lacountysheriff @LACoFDPIO Palos Verdes estates PD are assisting in the search.

— USCG Southern California (@USCGSoCal) December 24, 2024

"We have nobody in the area of the debris field, so we have a number of resources, both land-based, out on the water in vessels, and also some drones as well to search the coastline," said LACoFD Captain Ocean Lifeguard Pono Barnes after the vessel was found.

The Coast Guard and the Long Beach Fire Department were also involved in the search. Due to extremely low fog, rescue crews weren't able to fly their helicopter. Officials said the hazardous conditions have not made the search easy.

"We got surf in the 6 to 10-foot range. There's a high surf advisory, so the area that they're fishing here was, there's some big surf out there today and the conditions are hazardous... It's a dangerous spot for sure," said Jake Miller, LACoFD Ocean Lifeguard Specialist Jake Miller.

The two men's names have not been released but authorities described them as being in their 50s.

Paseo Del Mar at Cloyden Road was closed as crews continued their investigation but has since reopened, according to authorities.

The search comes as authorities were warning the public to stay out of the water at Southland beaches due to large waves and dangerous rip currents.

A high surf advisory was issued by the National Weather Service until 9 p.m. Wednesday for Los Angeles County beaches and 4 p.m. Wednesday for Orange County. Forecasters said "large breaking waves" of 8 to 13 feet were impacting west-facing beaches Tuesday morning. Those waves were expected to back off to about 6 to 10 feet Tuesday afternoon, but that will still be enough to present a danger.

City News Service Inc. contributed to this report.

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Lifestyle

By Laura Randall

Nov. 18, 2024 3 AM PT

• About 13.5 miles of trails in the Portuguese Bend, Abalone Cove, Filiorum and Forrestal reserves are currently closed due to landslides. • But you can still get your hike in: Here are five alternative trails in the area that remain open and safe — and offer opportunities for great workouts, ocean views and new adventures.

With its wide network of challenging trails and uninhibited views of the Pacific Ocean, the Palos Verdes Peninsula has long been a favorite hiking and mountain biking destination in Los Angeles County. But this year’s unprecedented landslide activity, which has damaged homes and left hundreds without power and gas service, has also impacted the most popular trails on the peninsula.

About 13.5 miles of trails in the Portuguese Bend, Abalone Cove, Filiorum and Forrestal reserves are temporarily closed “for public safety due to land movement,” says Rancho Palos Verdes spokeswoman Megan Barnes. There are no plans to reopen them anytime soon.

The good news is, there are plenty of trails on the peninsula that remain open and safe for hiking. The peninsula has more than 1,600 acres of open space within the four cities comprising it: Rancho Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills Estates and Rolling Hills. Some of the trails aren’t well-marked or require stretches of walking on residential streets, but many offer ocean views, a diverse array of native plants and even geological lessons that shed light on the peninsula’s unique terrain.

Bill Lavoie, a long-time trail leader for the Sierra Club’s Palos Verdes-South Bay group, regularly leads weeknight conditioning hikes in the area. He and his cohorts miss the unique beauty and cardio-friendly elevation gains of Portuguese Bend, but they have learned to embrace other trails in the area and happily shared some of their favorites.

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Here are five Palos Verdes Peninsula hikes that are more than just worthy substitutes for the closed trails. All of them offer a good workout, interesting scenery and a window into a fascinating, often-overlooked area of Los Angeles County.

Keep in mind that trails within the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve typically close between dusk and dawn daily and for at least 48 hours after a rainfall. For updates on trail conditions and closures, go to rpvca.gov/trailalerts.