Police identify pair of missing anglers

Newport Beach police on Thursday released the names of a man and a woman who may have drowned after being swept off the jetty in Corona del Mar. Police identified the woman’s car in the beach parking lot.

Yi Ni Kwong, 49, of Irvine, and Sean Shungfei Yeh, 53, of Fremont, are the pair who police believe were washed off the jetty Tuesday while fishing during high surf.

An unidentified witness told Corona del Mar beach parking employees to call 911 on Tuesday after he had reportedly seen the two people washed off the rock jetty. Police and Harbor Patrol officers were unable to find the anglers’ bodies after an search of the 10 miles of coast between the jetty and Laguna Beach.

Rescue workers found a fishing pole and a white cooler on the jetty rocks, while a straw hat and a shoe were pulled out of the water just minutes later, authorities said.

If and how the pair are related has not yet been determined by police; however, they did arrive in the vehicle together, authorities said. Police narrowed down the vehicles and identified the possible victims Wednesday, Sgt. Evan Sailor said.

“It took quite a while because we had to verify license [plate] numbers,” Sailor said. Authorities were unable to release the names until Thursday morning due to difficulties notifying the pair’s family, Sailor added.

Because of heavy surf, authorities say it could take up to 2 1/2 weeks before the bodies wash ashore.

Police are looking for information about the missing people. Anyone with information can call (800) 550-NBPD. Messages may be left anonymously.