When firefighters arrived at the scene, they discovered the Tesla suspended over the cliff’s edge, held in place only by a single tree.
PACIFICA, Calif. — A Tesla driver was rescued Thursday afternoon after their vehicle crashed and dangled precariously over the edge of a 200-foot cliff along one of California’s most treacherous stretches of coastline, authorities said.
The dramatic rescue unfolded around 2:45 p.m. just south of Grey Whale Cove on Devil’s Slide, according to the Cal Fire San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit. When firefighters arrived at the scene, they discovered the Tesla suspended over the cliff’s edge, held in place only by a single tree.
“The car was only being supported by a tree,” Cal Fire CZU said in a social media post that included photos of the harrowing scene.
The lone occupant was trapped inside the vehicle as it teetered above the rocky coastline below. Rescue crews from CAL FIRE, Coastside Fire and North County Fire began stabilizing the vehicle and establishing a rope system to prevent it from plummeting to the beach.
Firefighters extricated the driver through the vehicle’s rear window, according to Cal Fire officials. The condition of the driver was not immediately released. The rescue operation required coordination between multiple agencies, including the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, California State Parks Lifeguards and the California Highway Patrol.
The cause of Thursday’s crash was not immediately determined. The area experiences regular accidents due to its challenging driving conditions along the rugged coastline.
Last July, three people were killed after their car plummeted off Devil’s Slide.
In 2023, a Southern California doctor intentionally drove his Tesla off a cliff at Devil’s Slide and tumbled down 250 feet. He, his wife and two children in the vehicle all miraculously survived. The driver was charged with attempted murder and was ordered to receive mental health care in lieu of jail time.