Sheriff helicopter plucks three teens from Bodega Head cliff

Bodega Bay Fire Department personnel arrived on scene at about 5:15 p.m. and found two teens stuck about 50 feet below the top of the bluff with water and a rocky beach at least 50 feet below them. A third teen was stuck about 15 feet below the top of the bluff and was only hanging on to ice plant.

Bodega fire personnel quickly rigged a safety rope to one of the emergency vehicles and provided it to this teen while they set up for a rope rescue.

The Henry 1 crew arrived on scene at about 5:30 p.m. and observed that Bodega Bay Fire Personnel had begun a rescue evolution for the teen stuck 15 feet below the top of the bluff. The crew also quickly spotted the teens stuck 50 feet below the top of the bluff. Both teens, a man and a woman were stuck clinging to the loose rocks on nearly vertical terrain.

The pilot landed the helicopter on top of the bluff where the paramedic and tactical flight officer (TFO) rigged the helicopter for a 100 foot longline rescue. The pilot then flew the TFO, on the end of the 100 foot longline, to the teens. The TFO secured them in a rescue device and the pilot flew them, one at a time with the TFO, to the top of the bluff. By this time, Bodega Bay Fire personnel had completed the rescue of the third teen.

The teens, visiting from San Jose, had climbed down to the beach using a trail. Due to the rising tide, the trail was no longer accessible when they decided to return. They attempted to climb up the face of the bluff getting stuck where they could no longer climb up or back down. A fourth member of their party made it to the top of the bluff where he called for help.