Santa Barbara City College student killed in Isla Vista cliff fall

ISLA VISTA, Calif.-A cliff fall in Isla Vista has claimed the life of another college student.

It happened on the 6700 block of Del Playa Drive around 10:53 p.m. on Saturday.

Santa Barbara County Fire Captain Scott Safechuck said students tried to revive the young man who was found in the water about 40 feet below the cliff's edge.

He has been described as a 19-year-old Santa Barbara City College Student.

This is the eighth fatal cliff fall in the past two decades. It happened in an area known for erosion.

Last April UCSB Alumni Chasen Alibrando, 25, of Santa Monica fell to his death from the cliff near the 6000 block of Del Playa Drive.

Fatal falls dating back to 2005 have involved male and female students from UCSB, SBCC, and Cal Poly.

A fence put up more than a decade ago has not prevented fatal falls or injuries.

Danger signs posted along fences are difficult to see at night.

The Isla Vista community services district launched the Cliff Safety Campaign in January this year to spread awareness about the dangers associated with these Oceanside patios and balconies," said Isla Vista Community Services Director Spencer Brandt, "We need to act now. What can we do? We need to cut the red tape to allow property owners to make additional safety improvements on their properties, like putting up higher fences."

The former Irvine Mayor Beth Krom lost her son Noah to a fall right before his UCSB graduation in 2009.

"There is another grieving family wondering how their son could have fallen from the cliffs.," said Beth Krom, "They don't yet realize he's not the first. Having lost our son Noah more than fourteen years ago, I understand too well the pain his family and friends feel. That I know four other families among the dozen or more who've lost kids to the cliffs is a reminder that Noah's death and our efforts to get authorities and property owners to prioritize health and safety in Isla Vista - particularly along the cliffs - has not produced the action we had hoped. These are senseless deaths. The memories of these young people are too soon forgotten. Beautiful futures, destroyed in an instant."

Your News Channel will release the name of the student when it is provided by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.