Man rescued after falling from cliff at Pirate’s Cove near Avila
An unidentified man fell 15 to 20 feet from a path on a ledge to a rocky beach below at Pirate’s Cove near Avila Beach at about 4 p.m. Friday.
The man, estimated to be 18 to 24 years old, suffered minor injuries and had to be hoisted to safety after an extensive rescue effort conducted by Cal Fire officials.
The man had been on a path, possibly sitting, when he lost his balance. It’s not clear how he fell.
Cal Fire Capt. John McCormick said the man complained of neck and back pain. Before the fall, the man believed he had some stomach pain and may have lost consciousness, leading to his collapse.
We’re not sure what happened exactly. We’re just going to get him in the ambulance and get him to the hospital.
Cal Fire Capt. John McCormick
McCormick said the man was moving and speaking to fire officials when they arrived. Fire personnel hoisted the man up a steep cliff, while several spectators watched the drama unfold from the roadway above.
“We’re not sure what happened exactly,” McCormick said. “We’re just going to get him in the ambulance and get him to the hospital.”
Cal Fire Engineer Josh Wilkins said the rescue, which took about an hour and a half, was particularly difficult because of the steepness of the cliff. But firefighters successfully maneuvered the harness and box used to support the man up the side of the mountain.
“It was steep and difficult,” Wilkins said.
Additional people down on the beach, possibly friends or others who went down to help, also needed assistance from firefighters to get back up during a high tide.
Firefighters were still assisting them as of 5:30 p.m.
This story was originally published March 4, 2016 at 8:53 PM with the headline "Man rescued after falling from cliff at Pirate’s Cove near Avila."