Rescuers break rocks to free trapped man from California cave after 20 hours

San Diego fire service have released footage from the rescue of a man who had fallen 20 feet down a cliffside hole at Sunset Cliffs.

The team worked for 20 hours, with staff rotating every six hours, to chip away at rock and free the unknown man, who is recovering from the incident, and was awake for most of the rescue.

He had been pinned from the waist downward by rocks and debris, and specialist officers had to work quickly before a predicted rise in tide.

As the man was freed, he was able to say “thank you” to his rescuers.