Man Found Clinging to 60-Foot High Cliff in Cal...

A man was rescued via helicopter from a large cliff in California on Easter Sunday — and it was all caught on camera

Published Time: 02.04.2024 - 20:31:09 Modified Time: 02.04.2024 - 20:31:09

A man was rescued via helicopter from a large cliff in California on Easter Sunday — and it was all caught on camera.

The helicopter crew sprang into action around 7:40 p.m. local time after learning that the man “had fallen from a cliff” near the Battery Alexander trail in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, according to Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.

The individual seeking help reportedly had fallen about 50 to 60 feet down “and was clinging to the gravel rock face” when help was requested.

The victim was precariously positioned “about 40 feet” above the ocean’s water line as the tide was coming in, according to Jason Golden, Battalion Chief with Southern Marin Fire, per ABC affiliate KABC-TV.

Footage of the rescue shared by the sheriff’s office shows the helicopter crew honing in on the victim using the aircraft’s thermal imaging camera. The man can be seen clinging to the cliff as the helicopter approaches

In the next portion of the clip, a Tactical Flight Officer can be seen approaching the victim, who appears to have cuts on his bare feet. The officer yells “Don’t let go man!” as he places the victim into a rescue device.

"It was just a much faster operation to use a helicopter," Golden said, per KABC-TV. "And the individual was starting to lose their grip."

The rescuer called it “one of the most precarious rescues because of ho -

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w the victim was grabbing on and how quickly they were to letting go," Golden said.

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The victim and rescuer were then flown to the top of the cliff, as seen in the clip shared by the SCSO. According to the sheriff’s office, fire personnel medically evaluated the victim.

It is unclear if the man rescued from the cliff was injured beyond the scrapes visible in the footage.

Golden said about one or two people die from falling from cliffs each year, and urged others to be cautious, according to KABC-TV.

"Please be very careful when you get to the cliffs,” the chief said. “Don't go up close to the edge and please don't try and climb up."

The Battery Alexander trailhead "provides access to the Batteries Loop Trail," which was originally made to be a jeep road between the gun batteries, according to the National Park Service.

Those who visit the Batteries Loop Trail, which has since "been narrowed to accommodate changes in use," are warned to exercise caution near cliffs.

"Cliffs along the bluffs can be unstable and hazardous," the park service's website says.