On Monday night, a man caught in a high tide below Shoreline Park was saved thanks to the swift actions of the Santa Barbara City Fire Department and the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol.
The rescue operation was launched around 7:21 p.m. after emergency services were alerted to a potential cliff rescue on the 1400 block of Shoreline Drive. Responding units included two engine companies, a truck company, a battalion chief, AMR, and the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol.
The victim, a 64-year-old doctor from Irvine, was reported missing by a friend, a German tourist, who managed to scale the cliff at Shoreline Park to raise the alarm. The duo had been walking along the beach when they were separated by the rapidly rising tide.
Rescue efforts involved a coordinated search on the beach by rescue swimmers and an extensive search of the waters by the Harbor Patrol. Adding to the high-tech search efforts, Santa Barbara Police Officers deployed a drone to broaden the search area.
Approximately an hour into the search, the man was found stranded on a rock west of 1000 steps. Harbor Patrol rescue swimmers reached him and assisted him onto their boat, ensuring his safe return to the patrol dock.
Despite the ordeal, the rescued tourist did not require medical treatment.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of the sea, particularly during conditions of extreme high tide. The successful rescue underscores the importance of caution and awareness while enjoying Santa Barbara’s beautiful coastal areas.
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How was rescue approved without a 3/10 pain level? Sorry, couldn’t help it 😀
The great thing about tides is they rise and fall predictably. Unless someone is injured or immanent danger, Let them sit on the rock for a couple hours then walk out.
Yeah, just leave a cold, wet tourist on the rock for a few hours at night. You should call the Harbor Patrol and suggest that be their new policy.
While I do think that people should be more responsible, it’s hard to know which people really need rescuing and which could tough it out. And don’t the rescuers actually like doing rescues? It gives them good practice, and it’s nice when it’s a low-stakes situation. Any emergency personnel who can speak to that?