‘Keen-eyed firefighter’ spots car on California cliff and rescues dad and son, cops say

A California firefighter was driving on state Highway 49 and noticed a downed road marker, so he stopped to investigate.

The “keen-eyed firefighter” with the California Department of Foresty and Fire Protection spotted a car stranded on an embankment off the highway where a father and son were stuck, deputies with the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office said on Monday, April 11.

The dad and his son were driving on the scenic highway in between Coulterville and Bagby Recreation when they went off the road. They plunged between 400 and 500 feet down an embankment.

Rescuers rushed to help the dad and his son, according to the sheriff’s office. A search and rescue team from CAL-FIRE and Mercy Ambulance responded to the scene.

“Throughout the rescue the wind and rain pelted rescuers and made the rescue even more difficult,” the sheriff’s office said on Facebook. “Both father and son were talking when they reached the top of the embankment after being pulled up the hill by rescuers.”

Deputies didn’t know how long the father and son had been on the embankment.

They were taken to a hospital for treatment. Officials did not disclose their conditions.

This story was originally published April 13, 2022 at 3:06 PM with the headline "‘Keen-eyed firefighter’ spots car on California cliff and rescues dad and son, cops say."