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Marriage proposal leads to cliff rescue and controlled substance arrest

Posted at 6:02 PM, Apr 08, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-08 20:02:51-04

Story by Amanda Jackson, CNN; Video by Ben Kruger

CNN

(CNN) — A dramatic end to a marriage proposal was caught on camera.

On Thursday, a man in California decided to climb the 580-foot summit of Morro Rock to propose to his girlfriend via FaceTime on his iPhone, according to Morro Bay Fire Chief Steve Knuckles.

When the man tried climbing down, he became stranded on a thin ledge about 150 feet above the ground. He began screaming for help, which alerted people at the base of the rock.

Rescue crews with the California Highway Patrol used a helicopter to hoist the man off the cliff, battling strong winds.

“[The man] had a few scratches and bruises but was otherwise unharmed,” Knuckles said.

Morro Rock is off the Pacific Coast of California, between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It’s illegal to climb the rock but visitors can explore its base.

The man who was rescued was not arrested for climbing the rock, but he was arrested later on charges of possession and use of a controlled substance.

Was the proposal successful? That is the true cliffhanger of the story.

There are conflicting reports on whether his girlfriend said yes. What is certain is that the proposal proved to be costly and dangerous for the man.

He will be billed for the rescue and Knuckles said it will cost in the thousands of dollars.

CNN’s Seth Kovar and Joseph Netto contributed to the report.

The-CNN-Wire
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