Last night, in a daring after-dark operation, a Sonoma Sheriff's helicopter crew successfully executed a cliffside rescue to save two stranded hikers near Alamere Falls. As per a statement by the Sonoma Sheriff's Office, the victims found themselves trapped when a leisurely sunset hike turned into a desperate fight against the relentless tide, which prevented them from returning to the safety of the trailhead.

The duo signaled for help, illuminating their precarious position 200 feet above the crashing waves and lethal rock below with only a flashlight. Henry-1, equipped for night rescues with belly lights and a powerful searchlight, swooped in to render aid, landing on a nearby bluff before getting reconfigured for a high-wire act of valor—a 100-foot-long line rescue operation. The rescue was performed flawlessly despite the intricate dance of precision that such a maneuver demands of the pilot and rescuer.

The technical execution began with a Tactical Flight Officer (TFO) lowering the stranded hikers. One of the victims was swiftly secured into a horse collar rescue device and, along with the TFO, hoisted back to the bluff. There, a waiting Paramedic took the victim for a medical evaluation. Following the same precarious procedure, The TFO returned to rescue the second hiker.

Both victims, having braved the cold and fear, were assessed for cold exposure but emerged largely unscathed from their ordeal. After receiving the necessary medical attention, the relieved hikers were transported via helicopter to a parking lot, where they were greeted by personnel from the Bolinas Fire Department. This information, along with a video of the harrowing experience, was released with the express permission of the victims.