Authorities: Man dies while kayaking off of N.J. coast

State police say a man apparently died while kayaking in waters off southern New Jersey.

But it’s not yet known what caused the death of Gary Pasternak, who was unconscious when he was pulled from the ocean late Saturday morning. The 59-year-old Ocean City man was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Crews began searching the waters around 10:25 a.m., after an Ocean City beach patrol member spotted an unmanned kayak floating about 300 yards off shore. Pasternak was found a short time later.

It appears that Pasternak entered the ocean alone near 21st Street in Ocean City sometime around 9:30 a.m. Saturday.