A paraglider stranded on a remote beach cliffside along the San Mateo coast was hauled to safety yesterday after North County Fire Authority crews rigged technical rope systems to reach the trapped flier.
Fire companies made their way down the steep terrain, secured the paraglider and then raised them up to an upper parking area, where medics evaluated the person before units started clearing out.
The rescue first surfaced on X after CAL FIRE's San Mateo–Santa Cruz unit amplified a post from the North County Fire Authority. In that update, NCFA reported that its fire companies used rope systems and "safely brought to upper parking area." According to the North County Fire Authority, crews were in the process of clearing the scene following the rescue.
NCFA fire companies using rope systems, successfully rescued stranded paraglider from remote area on beach cliffside and safely brought to upper parking area. No injuries. Units clearing. pic.twitter.com/achLCuF0rU
— North County Fire Authority (@NoCoFire) February 23, 2026
How Crews Reached The Paraglider
The North County Fire Authority, which serves Daly City, Pacifica and Brisbane, maintains trained technical-rescue teams for the steep coastal terrain in its backyard. Those specialists practice high-angle rope operations to access beaches and cliff faces that are otherwise out of reach.
NCFA's public materials note that the agency coordinates with neighboring departments when shoreline access is limited, then moves patients to safer extraction points where ambulances or helicopters can actually get to them. For more on the agency's capabilities and programs, see the North County Fire Authority.
Cliffside Flying Brings Recurring Rescue Work
Cliffside paragliding and hiking incidents are a recurring hazard along this stretch of coast, which keeps rope-rescue crews busy. When something goes wrong out there, it often means technical systems, patient packaging and careful coordination between multiple agencies.
In 2015, a paraglider crashed near Mussel Rock, prompting a rope rescue attempt that ultimately ended in a fatality, as reported by SFGATE. Not every call has been so grim: local outlets have also covered nonfatal cliffside extractions, including an April 2022 operation where crews rappelled more than 500 feet to reach a hiker, according to CBS San Francisco.
What Fliers And Visitors Should Know
Local agencies urge anyone heading to the bluffs to take the hazards seriously. That starts with checking weather and wind, flying only within your own skill level and bringing a reliable way to call for help if things go sideways.
NCFA and partner agencies provide preparedness guidance for coastal emergencies, from safe outing checklists to what to expect when rescuers arrive. Anyone who spots a person in distress along the cliffs or shoreline should call 911 immediately, according to the North County Fire Authority.
