A California man's idea for a marriage proposal ended in an emergency rescue Thursday.
Michael Banks, of Fresno, had to be rescued after illegally climbing California's picturesque Morro Rock in order to propose to his girlfriend via FaceTime, a firefighter involved in the rescue told NBC affiliate KSBY.
A California Highway Patrol helicopter rescued Banks after a witness heard him yelling for help around 8:45 a.m. local time Thursday. Banks had climbed about 90 feet up the steep rock looking over the ocean in Morro Bay.
Morro Bay Fire Chief Steve Knuckles stressed the danger of climbing the rock. "It is illegal to climb Morro Rock because it kills people," Knuckles said. "I have been on at least four calls where people have died on the rock."
Knuckles said the rescuers had to use ropes four times to pull people off of the rock in the last year.
Banks reportedly told rescuers his girlfriend said yes to the proposal — but was not happy with him for the stunt.
He will be forced to pay for the cost of the emergency rescue, Morro Bay officials said on their Facebook page.
