Body Identified as Missing Aegean Skipper

The body that was found near the Coronado Islands was confirmed Tuesday as Theo Mavromatis, the skipper of the Aegean who had been missing since last month's crash during the Newport to Ensenada Yacht Race, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office has confirmed.

Mavromatis, 49, of Redondo Beach, died from multiple blunt-force injuries, according to the autopsy. His body was found floating in the water about 2:30 p.m. Sunday by John Spike Ivins, of San Clemente, and his friend Kevin Veal, of Huntington Beach, who were out fishing at the Coronado Islands.

Ivins told Phil Friedman Outdoors that they were shocked at what they discovered.

"Kevin and I saw something in the Middle Grounds (Coronado Islands) which at first we thought was a dead bloated sea lion. As we got closer to the floating object we were stunned to see human arms and legs, absolutely shocking," Ivins said.

Kevin Eric Rudolph, 53, of Manhattan Beach, William Reed Johnson Jr., 57, of Torrance, and Joseph Lester Stewart, 64, of Bradenton, Fla., also lost their lives in the on April 28. Rudolph died from blunt-force injuries to his head and neck, Johnson from multiple blunt-force injuries and Stewart drowned.

The men were taking part in the annual yacht race when their 37-foot boat, the Aegean, dropped off the event's vessel-tracking system about 1:30 a.m. April 28, according to the Newport Ocean Sailing Association, which stages the competition.

A floating debris field suggested that Mavromatis' Hunter 376 may have collided with a larger vessel. The accident occurred just south of the U.S.-Mexico border, about eight miles off the Baja California coast.

Others have suggested, based on data from Mavromatis' GPS tracker, that the boat may have collided with the northern tip of the Coronado Islands.