Man Dies in Fall from Gibraltar Rock

[UPDATE]: The Sheriff’s Office has released the identity of the climber to be 26-year-old Eric Seidman of Santa Barbara. He was rapelling with coworkers at the time of his fall, said Sheriff’s spokesperson Kelly Hoover.

[ORIGINAL REPORT]: A young man in his twenties died Wednesday evening from traumatic injuries suffered in a fall off Gibraltar Rock, Capt. Dave Zaniboni with Santa Barbara County Fire reported. County and Montecito firefighters and Search & Rescue volunteers responded by 6:10 p.m. to a call from the person the man was climbing with, setting up a rope rescue into an area below Gibraltar Road. A helicopter rescue was requested, but the aircraft was unavailable.

The rescuers found the man dead, and the Sheriff/Coroner was on scene soon after 7:45 p.m. This story will be updated as information becomes available.