Man airlifted to safety after becoming stranded on Daly City beach

DALY CITY -- A 24-year-old man was rescued by a Coast Guard air crew after becoming stranded on rocks below a Daly City cliffside on Sunday morning.

The Coast Guard said the agency received a call directly from the stranded man at 4:24 a.m., after he was unable to connect with 911 dispatchers.

 He had been stuck for about 45 minutes, according to Lt. Christopher Payne.

The Coast Guard relayed the call to the North County Fire Authority and firefighters responded to the scene.

 Payne said that after they located the man on the rocks at Mussel Rock Park Beach, the firefighters asked for help from a helicopter.

A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin was sent from Coast Guard Station San Francisco to retrieve the man, who was successfully rescued by a hoist operation. The man was flown to Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco.

He was being medically evaluated, according to a statement from the North County Fire Authority.