Tomales Bay, United States – On Saturday evening, March 21, Henry-1, already airborne after assisting Sonoma Valley Deputies with a stolen vehicle recovery, was dispatched by the Marin County Fire Department to respond to an overturned kayak in Tomales Bay involving two individuals.

Henry-1 arrived within 12 minutes, locating one victim clinging to the overturned kayak along with his dog. High winds and three-foot swells complicated the rescue. Using a 100-foot longline, the victim, suffering from cold exposure, was brought safely to shore. He reported that his girlfriend had slipped out of her personal flotation device and had drowned.

The Pilot and Tactical Flight Officer immediately returned to search for the second victim. After a short search, she was found approximately 200 yards from the kayak, face down in the water, carried by the outgoing tide. She was retrieved via longline and resuscitation efforts began on shore until Marin County Fire Department paramedics took over.

National Park Rangers arrived by boat and safely recovered the dog from the water.

Henry-1 then transported the female victim with a Marin County Fire Department paramedic to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased. The identity of the decedent will be released pending notification to their next of kin.

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