Rising tide catches sleeping beachgoers off guard
By Ricardo Tovar
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SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, California (KSBW) — Two people were rescued Wednesday afternoon after rising tides swept them into the water near Yellow Bank Beach, according to CAL FIRE.
Crews responded to a confirmed water rescue and deployed rescue swimmers, with about eight in the water at one point during the operation.
One patient was brought in at Yellow Bank Beach and taken to a local hospital. A second patient was rescued at another nearby beach, hauled in using a Stokes basket and also taken to a local hospital.
Both victims were believed to be women in their 20s.
Santa Cruz County Volunteer Fire Captain Kyle Breton said both people were believed to have been sleeping near the Keyhole area when the tide came in and caught them off guard. Responders said the Keyhole is often used to access Yellow Bank Beach, but people can quickly become trapped by incoming tides.
CAL FIRE said the rescue was the fifth performed in the past month along a 1-mile stretch of coastline between Yellow Bank Beach and Bonny Doon Beach.
The rescue involved multiple agencies, including CAL FIRE CZU, CAL FIRE SCU Alma Helitack Copter 614, California State Lifeguard rescue swimmers, Santa Cruz City rescue swimmers, Central Fire District, Santa Cruz Fire, Santa Cruz County, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office and State Lifeguards.
Officials said that during the after-action briefing, responders were alerted to another emergency within Santa Cruz city limits, prompting city crews to quickly clear the scene and respond.
No additional information about the patients’ conditions was immediately available.
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