Fisherman drowns after fall into ocean, friend rescued from rocks
February 20th, 2010 | Published in In the News, Long Line
Sonoma County Sheriff’s Press Release
On 2-20-10 at about 1:52 pm, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Helicopter Unit “Henry-1″ was dispatched to a subject in distress in the ocean. A friend of the victim drove to Fort Ross State Park and reported to State Parks Rangers that the subject was a fisherman and had fallen off a rock into the sea. The friend led rangers back up to the area of just south of Horseshoe Cove in the Salt Point State Beach area, nearly nine miles away.
The Henry-1 flight crew, piloted by Paul Bradley, arrived in the Horseshoe Cove area just as State Parks Rangers and lifeguards arrived back on scene. The Henry-1 crew spotted a subject face down in the ocean about 100 yards off shore. The subject was fully clothed and was still wearing a backpack. The subject had been in the water for about an hour.
Henry-1 paramedic, Scott Westrope, recovered the body of an adult Asian male from the surf via 100-foot long-line attached to the helicopter. The subject was deceased. The body was turned over to deputies and rangers on-scene. The case will be turned over to the Sonoma County Coroner’s Office.
About a half an hour later, the Henry-1 crew was summoned back to the same cove for a friend of the previous drowning victim, who was displaying altered level of consciousness and signs of medical distress. The Henry-1 crew was lowered to this patient atop a remote rocky bluff by 100-foot long-line. This subject was transported via long-line to awaiting ground medics who took over patient care.
