Placer County Sheriff's Office ends search for UNR student Marc Ma

The Placer County Sheriff's Office has ended their search for University of Nevada (UNR) football player Marc Ma of Hawaii who went missing during a paddle board outing on June 10.

Ma fell from a paddle board as he and fellow UNR football players encountered strong winds and choppy waves off the west shore of Lake Tahoe.

Although the initial search for Marc had been suspended several days after he went under the water, a comprehensive attempt to recover his remains began June 16, using sophisticated side-scan sonar and remotely operated underwater cameras that were not available during the initial search. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by personnel from the Washoe County Sheriff's Office, the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Kern County Sheriff's Office, and a private citizen from Idaho who is considered an expert in the use of side-scan sonar for recovery operations. Despite the comprehensive effort by multiple experts, the deep water and a steeply sloping lake bottom covered with boulders has concealed his final location.

On June 10, an alert staff member from Obexer’s Marina saw the group in distress, summoned assistance and responded to rescue the group. Had it not been for the alert boat operators from the marina and their quick action, it is quite likely that further loss of life or injury would have occurred. During this rescue effort, Marc had been blown further north by winds and when a rescue boat reached his paddle board, Marc was no longer on the surface of the water.