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Coast Guard rescues hang glider near Santa Cruz

February 20, 2015

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. — The Coast Guard assisted with the rescue of an injured hang glider at Waddell Beach approximately 20 miles north of Santa Cruz, Thursday.

At approximately 5:20 p.m., Sector San Francisco Command Center was contacted by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, which requested assistance rescuing a hang glider stranded on a cliff face approximately 60 feet off the ground.

The Coast Guard responded with a rescue helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco. Emergency personnel on the ground were able to move the patient on a litter to the top of the cliff where the Coast Guard helicopter was able to land. The Coast Guard helicopter embarked the patient and a paramedic from one of the ground rescue crews.

The patient, who suffered from a back injury, was transported to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center for further treatment.

"This rescue demonstrates the value of the partnership between CAL FIRE and the Coast Guard," said Lt. Howard Baker, an Air Station San Francisco aircraft commander. "Despite the low cloud ceiling and the rescue taking place at night, CAL FIRE did an exceptional job coordinating the rescue from the ground while the Coast Guard provided assistance from the air."

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