On January 2, two children and two adults made it out alive after their Tesla plunged and flipped over 250 feet off a California cliff, as reported by The Blaze.
The Tesla sedan landed on rock beds near the water’s edge, as seen in the photos circulating the internet.
According to officials, the location is close to “Devil’s Slide,” a place where tragic accidents frequently occur along the Pacific Coast Highway.
“We go there all the time for cars over the cliff and they never live. This was an absolute miracle.”
Firefighter Chief Brian Pottenger
Initial Investigation
The Tesla sedan was apparently not in self-driving or autopilot mode when the accident occurred, per California Highway Patrol. Additionally, officers determined that road conditions did not cause the occurrence.
“The damage to the vehicle would indicate that it hit and it flipped several times.”
Firefighter Chief Brian Pottenger
Rescue Operation
Fortunately, witnesses were able to call 911 immediately at 10:15 am. The team rigged up a rope system from the highway to assist firefighters in descending the cliff.
Meanwhile, firefighters using binoculars were startled to observe movements from the car’s passengers.
“We were able to notice movement in the front seat through the windshield with binoculars, so we knew that we had at least one person that was alive. Every one of us was shocked when we saw movement out of the front windshield.”
Firefighter Chief Brian Pottenger
Emergency personnel braved persistent rain, strong wind, slick roads, and crashing waves from the surrounding oceanfront for several hours during the rescue operations. Furthermore, the doors were pushed up against the cliff, forcing firefighters to use the “Jaws of Life.”
Survivors
The rescue team pulled the 4-year-old girl and the 9-year-old boy out of the back window. They were put in a rescue basket to bring them up the cliff through the rope system.
Thankfully, only musculoskeletal injuries were observed when they were rushed to the hospital.
“They were more scared than they were hurt.”
Firefighter Chief Brian Pottenger
On the other hand, the adults are initially observed to have traumatic injuries. A helicopter was used to lift them up the cliff and take them to the hospital. It turned out that their injuries were not life-threatening.
Meanwhile, investigations are still being conducted to determine the accident’s cause.
Nonetheless, this incident is another proof that Tesla electric vehicles are reliable when it comes to major accidents. In fact, some of them have received the highest 5-star safety rating from Euro NCAP.
