2 Rescued From Torrey Pines Cliffs

Two people were rescued from the cliffs below Torrey Pines Glider Port on Sunday afternoon after a hang gliding accident left them stranded above Black’s Beach. (10news.com) San Diego Fire-Rescue said crews were dispatched at about 2:35 p.m. on April 19, 2026, and sent lifeguards, firefighters and a rescue helicopter to the glider port at the end of Torrey Pines Scenic Drive. (fox5sandiego.com) One victim was airlifted off the cliff, and a second was brought up with a rope system, according to reports citing the fire department. Both were taken to a hospital, and officials did not release their conditions. (patch.com) The response pulled in four lifeguard units, two fire trucks, two ambulances, a utility rig and a battalion chief. San Diego Fire-Rescue said crews cleared the scene in about an hour. (nbcsandiego.com) Torrey Pines Glider Port sits above steep bluffs next to Black’s Beach, a stretch of coast that draws pilots, hikers and beachgoers but also forces frequent technical rescues. The City of San Diego says its lifeguards handle about 50 cliff rescues a year along the city’s shoreline. (sandiego.gov) The city says some coastal cliffs reach 300 feet and can be unstable, which is why rescue teams use top-down systems, mechanized gear and aircraft depending on where a victim is stuck. San Diego Lifeguards say many cliff sites are easiest to reach from above. (sandiego.gov; sandiego.gov) Sunday’s rescue ended with both victims off the bluff and in medical care, after a response that combined helicopter access with rope rescue on one of San Diego’s busiest cliffside recreation areas. (10news.com; patch.com)