Overview
- Authorities received reports around 11:45 a.m. Tuesday of a person falling at Gray Whale Cove State Beach in the Devil’s Slide area.
- Deputies and Cal Fire CZU crews, including specialized rescue teams, reached the scene but the individual was pronounced dead.
- Highway 1 was closed in both directions for about 30 minutes to allow first responders to access the location.
- Witnesses told the sheriff’s office the victim may have experienced a medical emergency before the fall, with the official cause pending the coroner’s review.
- Officials have not released the person’s identity, and agencies note the area’s crumbly cliffs and limited access have figured in recent rescues and a prior fatality.