SAN FRANCISCO — The Coast Guard and Southern Marin Fire Protection District crews rescued five people Saturday from a cliffside near Muir Beach.
Battalion 3, Southern Marine Fire Protection District, notified Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders at 8:17 p.m. Saturday of three people stranded on a cliff face and two additional individuals stranded topside in view of Muir Beach.
#BZ to the #USCG Air Station San Francisco MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew who rescued 3 people stranded cliffside near Muir Beach and the @SMFDinfo crews who conducted a land-based rescue of 2 additional people stranded top side. pic.twitter.com/RkwhgunSiv
— USCGNorCal (@USCGNorCal) August 22, 2021
Watchstanders briefed the Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco operations center who accepted the agency assist request and launched their MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew.
Battalion 3 personnel reported a land-based rescue of the two people on top of the cliff and remained on scene to vector in the Dolphin helicopter crew to the three people stranded on the cliff.
The Dolphin helicopter crew arrived on scene at approximately 9 p.m. and hoisted all three people from the cliff and transported them to Air Station San Francisco with no reported injuries.
“Cliff operations are inherently risky for both ground parties and air crew, and are significantly higher risk during nighttime,” said Lt. Cmdr. Eric Schwartz, the Air Station San Francisco Dolphin aircraft commander. “We were glad the conditions allowed us to save three lives alongside our partner agencies.”