Hang Glider Killed Off Coast

PACIFICA, CA – A 44-year-old hang glider, who took off from Fort Funston in San Francisco and landed in the Pacific Ocean, was pulled by rescue crews from the water Sunday near Pacifica, but did not survive, according to authorities.

The pilot of a hang glider was identified today by the San Mateo County coroner's office as San Francisco resident Christopher Carrillo.

Witnesses reported at about 4 p.m. that the hang glider "appeared to be in distress" after landing in the ocean north of Gray Whale Cove in the Devil’s Slide area off Highway 1, unhooked himself from the glider, but was unable to make it to shore due to heavy surf and cliffs, Detective Rosemerry Blankswade of the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said.

California Highway Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard helicopters, along with the San Mateo County harbor master, "had a hard time locating the victim," but eventually spotted him at about 5:09 p.m., one-eighth of a mile south of where he landed in the water, officials said.

The man, unconscious and not breathing, was pulled from the water and transported to waiting paramedics, who began CPR, Blankswade said.

"Ultimately, the attempts to resuscitate the victim were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced deceased at 5:29 p.m.," the agency said.

In an earlier Twitter post, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said the man had launched earlier in the day from Fort Funston, adding that he "seemed to have caught a lot of wind, carrying his craft too far south."

Anyone with information on the accident can call the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office at 650-726-8288.

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--Bay City News contributed to this report