Parent, child rescued off Fort Funston cliff in San Francisco, officials say

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A father and his son were rescued off a cliff at Fort Funston on Saturday, San Francisco fire officials say.

Firefighters used ropes and pulleys to rescue the toddler and his dad from a steep and sandy cliff just after 11:30a.m.

The father described what happened, after they stepped off a marked trail, near the cliff's edge when they realized they were 70 feet below.

"Just hiking around and you take one wrong turn, and the next thing you know, the sand takes away leaves your feet, and the next thing you know, you're halfway down the cliff," he said.

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Lt. Jonathan Baxter praised the father for knowing exactly where he was when he called 911.

Lt. Baxter advises residents not to walk down the cliff even if it might appear safe.

"Although this resulted in no injuries and a successful rescue, it could also in injuries or death," he said. "We ask that you please stay on the trail."

Firefighters told ABC7 News a Highway Patrol helicopter was standing by just in case the father and son needed to be lifted off the cliff.

Both individuals are uninjured.