Man rescued after falling into ocean near Fort Ross

A man was rescued Monday after falling off a cliff and into the Pacific Ocean near Fort Ross State Historic Park, authorities said.

The incident was reported to the CHP just before 9 a.m. by a person who said their friend fell into the ocean, CHP spokesman Officer David deRutte said.

He was wearing a life jacket and appeared to be “barely alive” after being in the water for nearly an hour, the CHP said. The man told authorities he was fishing with friends prior to falling in and getting caught in fishing wire, Sonoma County Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Juan Valencia said.

A deputy who responded to the call threw a rescue line to the man from the water’s edge, but the man was too far away, the Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post.

Henry 1, the agency’s helicopter, also responded and an employee attached to a rope was lowered into the water to rescue the man. The helicopter hoisted both of them to land.

The man was then loaded into a nearby CHP helicopter, which flew him to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, deRutte said. He was described as being confused and possibly experiencing hypothermia but was still alive when he made it to the hospital, deRutte said.

You can reach Staff Writer Nashelly Chavez at 707-521-5203 or nashelly.chavez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nashellytweets.