SEATTLE – The Coast Guard hoisted a 46-year-old man from a cliff in Camp Discovery near Quilcene, Wash., Sunday.
Coast Guard Group/Air Station Port Angeles, Wash., received a call from the Jefferson County Fire Department at approximately 8:32 p.m. requesting a helicopter with hoist capabilities for a man suspended 500 feet on a cliff.
An MH-65C helicopter crew was sent to help.
The Jefferson County Fire Department High Angle Rescue team was able to reach the man prior to the helicopter crews’ arrival. The team made an attempt to bring the man down from the cliff and concluded the safest way to rescue him was to utilize the MH-65C helicopter crew for a hoist.
Due to the heavily wooded location it was necessary for the ground crew to clear an area of trees before the rescue attempt could be made.
The MH-65C crew departed to refuel at Boeing Field and wait for the area to be cleared. After the area was cleared the MH-65C helicopter crew returned to the scene and hoisted the man to safety at approximately 11:30 p.m. He was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
The rescued man was last listed in stable condition.
The missions of Group/Air Station Port Angeles include maritime search and rescue, enforcement of laws and treaties, providing aids to navigation and marine environmental protection. In addition, the Air Station frequently assists federal, state and county agencies by responding to calls for assistance with inland searches and medical evacuations.
