Injured Fisherman Rescued by Helicopter After Wave Sweeps Him Off California Rocks

A fisherman was rescued by helicopter after a powerful wave swept him off rocks along California’s Sonoma Coast, leaving him seriously injured and stranded in difficult terrain.

The incident happened on September 22 at Fort Ross State Historic Park, where the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a fisherman being swept into the water at about 12:45 p.m.

The man managed to get himself out of the water, but he had suffered major injuries. He was left on the rocky coastline, where steep terrain made it impossible for rescuers on the ground to safely reach him.

Responders from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, Timber Cove Fire Protection District, Coast Life Support District and California State Parks arrived at the scene.

The rescue team was able to use GPS coordinates from the fisherman’s cellphone to determine his location. A sheriff’s helicopter, known as Henry-1, then located him using its onboard camera.

Because of the difficult terrain, the helicopter crew landed nearby and prepared a 100-foot-longline rescue system.

A sheriff’s tactical flight officer, who is also an emergency medical technician, was lowered from the helicopter to the injured fisherman. After assessing him, the officer secured him in a rescue device known as a “hot seat.”

The fisherman was then lifted from the rocky area and flown to a location where firefighters and a California State Parks ranger could continue providing medical care.

He was later transported by helicopter, accompanied by a paramedic, to a local trauma center for further treatment. Authorities did not release his name or provide an update on his medical condition.

The rescue required coordination between multiple emergency agencies because of the combination of the man’s injuries, the ocean conditions and the steep coastline.

Photos and video released by authorities show the helicopter crew using the longline system to lift the fisherman from the remote section of the coast.

Sources:
San Francisco Chronicle – Fisherman seriously injured after wave sweeps him off Sonoma coast rocks
Patch – Injured Fisherman Swept Into Water, Rescued By Air
Local News Matters – Helicopter crew rescues injured fisherman at Fort Ross