In this case it slows down understanding of the headline. The plural noun "rescuers" is closer to the pronoun. It is only after one has tried that reading that

In this case it slows down understanding of the headline. The plural noun "rescuers" is closer to the pronoun. It is only after one has tried that reading that one recalls that, oh, yes, much of the press wants to use "they" as 3rd person singular pronoun.