Sonora, CA…On Thursday, January 22, 2026, at approximately 1:30 p.m., TCSO Dispatch received a medical call on Powell Ranch Road involving an injured individual in difficult terrain. Due to the location of the patient, a Search and Rescue (SAR) response was required, including a low-angle rope deployment spanning nearly 1,000 feet.

Because of the nature of the injury and the remote location, the patient required a helicopter hoist for extraction. However, the patient first needed to be safely moved to a suitable hoist location. Members of the TCSO Boats Team, along with a member of the TCSO Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Team, responded to assist in the operation.

SAR personnel successfully reached the patient using low-angle rope techniques, secured him in a Stokes litter, and transported him to a safe landing zone. CHP Helicopter H42 completed a successful hoist, transferring the patient to a waiting ambulance. The patient was then transported to a PHI air ambulance and flown to an out-of-area hospital for further care.

We’d like to thank our partners at CHP – Sonora, CAL FIRE Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit, and Manteca District Ambulance Tuolumne Division for their outstanding teamwork and collaboration during this mission.

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