Kayaker dies after being pulled from water at Montaña de Oro State Park

An adult male kayaker died in a drowning Saturday after being pulled from the water at Montaña de Oro State Park, according to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office.

At around 10:29 a.m., dispatch received a call reporting a kayaker in distress, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. Witnesses said the man was flipped over by waves.

A multi-agency response including the Sheriff’s Office, California State Parks, the U.S. Coast Guard and Cal Fire responded to the scene.

Authorities said the kayaker had been wearing a life vest, but it appeared to have slipped off his body after he overturned.

The man was located and rescuers performed CPR, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The identity of the victim has not been released pending notification of next of kin. No further information was immediately available.

This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 2:18 PM.