Press Release: MCSO and CHP Work Together To Rescue Person From Beach Where She Had Been For Over 24 Hours

DATE/TIME: 10/01/24 at 9:30 AM

TYPE OF INCIDENT: Monterey County Sheriff’s and California Highway Patrol Work Together to Rescue Overdue Person Located That Had Been Stuck on Rocky South Monterey County Beach For Over 24 hours-

LOCATION: Highway 1 near Kirk Creek Campground, South Monterey County Coastline, CA

MEDIA CONTACT: Andres Rosas, Commander; Phone: 831-261-5492; Email: rosasae@countyofmonterey.gov

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and California Highway Patrol’s H-70 crew worked together to rescue an overdue person that had spent over 24 hours on a rocky beach after falling and sustaining moderate injuries.

On September 28th, 2024, shortly before 10:00 PM, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a subject reporting his 68-year-old wife had notified him that she would be heading to Willow Creek Beach after spending the night in San Luis Obispo County. He had confirmed she had left her hotel earlier in the day. The reporting party had not heard from his wife since, and she was scheduled to have already been back in cell phone range in the King City area. MCSO Deputies, CHP, State Parks and other law enforcement were notified of the overdue subject and asked to be on the lookout for her. The route that the person would have taken was checked and neither she nor her vehicle were located.

On September 29th, 2024, the search efforts continued. Assistance was requested from California Highway Patrol’s H-70 helicopter. Due to a low marine layer, they were not able to fly. MCSO Deputies continued to search roadways in the area. At about 1:30 PM, a call was made to CHP stating that the overdue person’s vehicle had been located near Kirk Creek and Limekiln campgrounds. Shortly after 2:00 PM, a Monterey County Sheriff Sergeant located the overdue female on a rocky beach at Kirk Creek. Due to the terrain, assistance was needed from CHP’s H-70 crew to rescue the victim.

CHP’s H-70 was able to respond to the scene thanks to better weather conditions. H-70’s flight crew was able to land on a sandy access point on the beach about 200 yards from the female. The female was assisted to the helicopter and flown back up to the roadway where she was reunited with her husband. The female sustained moderate injuries and was treated at an area hospital. She later stated to rescuers that she had been stranded on the beach for 25 hours. Due to the injuries she had sustained, she was not able to climb back up to the roadway.

The California Highway Patrol has posted video of part of the rescue operation on its social media page and can be viewed at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/p/CHP-Coastal-Division-Air-Operations-100068760856172/