A fisherman was seriously injured Tuesday afternoon after a wave swept him off the rocks and into the ocean near Fort Ross State Park, authorities said, triggering a multi-agency rescue that required a helicopter crew to lower a rescuer on a 100-foot longline to reach him below steep, inaccessible cliffs.
The man managed to pull himself out of the water at Fort Ross State Park, but steep cliffs prevented emergency crews from reaching him on the ground, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office Henry-1 helicopter responded to the scene at 12:45 p.m. Tuesday, as reported by KRON4. Crews used the fisherman's phone GPS coordinates to locate him among the rocks, a detail that, per SFGATE, allowed the aircrew to combine the cellphone data with the helicopter's onboard cameras to pinpoint his exact position among the rocky cliffs.
Once the helicopter located him, a tactical flight officer was flown down to the fisherman and secured him into a hot seat rescue device before he was hoisted up and flown to awaiting crews at the fort. Paramedics then provided immediate medical care before he was flown to a local trauma center, though his current condition remains unknown as of Wednesday.
A Coastline That Demands Air Rescue
The rescue drew on several local agencies, with the Timber Cove Fire Protection District, the Coast Life Support District, and California State Parks all assisting in the response. That kind of coordinated effort is common along this stretch of coast, where the Timber Cove Fire Protection District covers 48 square miles and a 17-mile stretch of Highway 1.
The Coast Life Support District covers a 60-mile span. The rescue took place at Fort Ross State Historic Park.
Henry-1's Busy Rescue Record
The Bell 407 helicopter known as Henry-1 covers roughly 1,600 square miles of coastal and inland terrain. Henry-1 responds to around 1,000 emergency missions a year.
In August, Hoodline reported a similar rescue near Ocean Cove after a person fell 30 feet onto rocks below coastal cliffs.
Ongoing Safety Warnings for Rock Fishing
Ocean Safety California State Parks' ocean safety guidance discusses rocks and coastal hazards generally. The rescue required Henry-1 to reach the man below steep cliffs.
