23-07-2025
Four trapped by high tide near viewpoint at Point Defiance Park. Rescue underway
A technical rescue is underway after four people were trapped by high tide near a viewpoint along Five Mile Drive at Point Defiance Park.
'Some folks were caught on the beach when the tide came in, and it's sounding like they've climbed to safety. They're just stuck there now,' Tacoma Fire Department spokesperson Chelsea Shepherd told The News Tribune.
The fire department received a call at 4:36 p.m. and sent both ground crews and a fire boat to the area. The four people were near Dalco Passage Viewpoint and walking on the beach below the cliffs when they were trapped by the high tide, Shepherd told The News Tribune.
'The tide comes in pretty fast, and it comes all the way up to the cliff,' she said.
Shepherd said that a technical rescue can take hours and involve ropes, pulleys and other assists. The boat is assisting from the water side and ground crews on Five Mile Drive might either rappel down the cliff or assist with pulling the four people up, she said. The rescue is ongoing.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
