Crews Rescue Swimmer Stranded Near San Francisco's Cliff House
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — A teenager stranded on some rocks near San Francisco's Cliff House was brought to safety Thursday afternoon, a fire captain said.
San Francisco firefighters, the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Park Service responded to the area after someone on the shore reported a person in distress.
According to a fire dispatcher, the initial report came in at 3:43 p.m.
An employee who answered the phone at the Cliff House said diners seated near the windows noticed a person in swim trunks on the rocks and that restaurant staff contacted the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard responded with a helicopter and a 47-foot motor lifeboat. The park service also responded with swimmers.
Fire Capt. Jeanne Seyler said the teen had made it to the rocks before the fire department arrived and was in distress because the tide was coming in "and it was very rough."
Fire department surf rescue swimmers reached the teenager but were unable to get him back to the beach, Seyler said.
Two rescue swimmers with the park service swam to the rocks with extra long boards and, with the assistance of the fire department swimmers, were able to bring the teen to shore at 4:40 p.m., Seyler said.
The teen was medically evaluated and transported to a hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, Seyler said.
(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
