Responders were called around 8 pm to Panther State Beach in northern Santa Cruz County after a 911 text reported people trapped in a cave near Davenport and rising water. Several trapped people reportedly did not know how to swim. Escape routes included swimming to a nearby beach and exiting through bluffs or a pocket beach with a steep trail. When responders arrived, five people waded to safety with lifeguard help. Three people who could not swim were hoisted up a cliff by a US Coast Guard rescue helicopter. A pregnant woman with unspecified injuries was among those rescued. Cal Fire advised checking tide conditions before going to the coast and moving to the highest safety point while calling 911 instead of attempting dangerous surf swimming or cliff climbing.
"First responders rescued eight people who were trapped inside a cave at a Santa Cruz County beach Sunday evening as the tide was rising, and some were unable to swim. Responders from several agencies were called around 8 pm Sunday to Panther State Beach in northern Santa Cruz County to assist a group of people trapped inside a cave, according to a social media post by Cal Fire. The tide had begun rising as the sun went down, and several people in the group reportedly did not know how to swim."
"The two routes for escaping the cave reportedly involved swimming to a nearby beach and exiting through some bluffs or via a pocket beach with a trail that was too steep. Once responders arrived, five people managed to wade to safety with help from lifeguards. The three who couldn't swim were hoisted up a cliff by a US Coast Guard rescue helicopter. KSBW reports that a pregnant woman who had unspecified injuries was among the people rescued."
"Cal Fire advises to always check the tide before heading to the coast, as water levels can change drastically within hours, cutting off access points. The agency also says stranded beachgoers should move to the highest safety point and call 911 immediately rather than trying to swim through heavy surf or climb dangerous cliffs."
Read at sfist.com
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