Man Rescued After Falling from Cliff Near Golden Gate Bridge

Published: 02 April 2024 at 15:47

Travel

A man was rescued after falling nearly 60 feet from a cliff near the Golden Gate Bridge in California. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office responded to an emergency call and used a helicopter with a thermal imaging camera to rescue the man clinging to the cliff face. The man suffered minor injuries and was airlifted to safety for medical evaluation. The rescue operation involved a tactical flight officer securing the man with a harness and lifting him to the top of the cliff. Visitors are warned to stay away from the cliffs' edges to prevent accidents.

DEEP DIVE

Suicides at the Golden Gate Bridge (Wikipedia)

Between 1937 and 2012, an estimated 1,400 bodies were recovered of people who had jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge, located in the San Francisco Bay Area in the United States.In 2013, 118 potential jumpers were talked down from their attempts and did not jump. As of 2013, it is estimated that 34 people have survived after jumping. Some die instantly from internal injuries, while others drown or die of hypothermia.A number of measures are in place to discourage people from jumping, including telephone hotlines and patrols by emergency personnel and bridge workers. Although it had previously been considered impractical to build a suicide barrier, in 2014, the bridge's directors approved a proposal for a net below the bridge's deck, extending out either side, rather than side barriers at the railings as had long been proposed.

California's Highway 1 Suffers Another Closure Due to Coastal Erosion

A portion of California's Highway 1 in Big Sur collapsed into the sea, leading to its closure after heavy rains. The highway, facing challenges due to climate change, has a history of closures and repairs, and engineers are assessing the damage. Tourists and residents were trapped, but convoys were organized for safe passage. The state is considering solutions like tolls for repairs. Closure impacts emergency response and tourism along the scenic coastal route between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Horse Airlifted to Safety After Being Stuck in California River for Nearly 24 Hours

A horse named Conquistador was rescued from the Santa Ana River in California after getting stuck for almost a day, with the rescue involving an airlift operation. The horse, along with another lost horse and their riders, got spooked while riding next to the river. With the help of social media, the lost animals were located, and the exhausted horse was airlifted by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Firefighters highlighted the ongoing dangers near the river even after rain stops, urging the public to heed flash flood warnings. The horse is expected to recover after being examined by a veterinarian.

Golden Gate Bridge (Wikipedia)

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the one-mile-wide (1.6 km) strait connecting San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The structure links the U.S. city of San Francisco, California—the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula—to Marin County, carrying both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1 across the strait. It also carries pedestrian and bicycle traffic, and is designated as part of U.S. Bicycle Route 95. Recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the Wonders of the Modern World, the bridge is one of the most internationally recognized symbols of San Francisco and California.The idea of a fixed link between San Francisco and Marin had gained increasing popularity during the late 19th century, but it was not until the early 20th century that such a link became feasible. Joseph Strauss served as chief engineer for the project, with Leon Moisseiff, Irving Morrow and Charles Ellis making significant contributions to its design. The bridge opened to the public in 1937 and has undergone various retrofits and other improvement projects in the decades since.The Golden Gate Bridge is described in Frommer's travel guide as "possibly the most beautiful, certainly the most photographed, bridge in the world." At the time of its opening in 1937, it was both the longest and the tallest suspension bridge in the world, titles it held until 1964 and 1998 respectively. Its main span is 4,200 feet (1,280 m) and its total height is 746 feet (227 m).