Local

Sheriff’s Office identifies man who died during surf rescue at Oceano Dunes

Search and rescue

The person who died during a surf rescue at the Oceano Dunes last week has been identified.

Robert Joseph Semas, 65, of Hanford, was pulled from the water when authorities responded to a surf rescue around 2:45 p.m. on Friday, according to San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Tony Cipolla.

First responders performed CPR on Semas, but the lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful.

Further details on the circumstances of Semas’ death were not immediately available.

This story was originally published March 30, 2026 at 1:35 PM.

LT
Leila Touati
The Tribune
Leila Touati is a reporter for The Tribune. She covers business and change in SLO County communities. She is from the Bay Area and finishing her journalism degree at Cal Poly. In her free time, Leila enjoys coding and baking.
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