Three people died on Friday when their car rolled down a cliff near the Devil's Slide on California's Highway 1.
According to the NY Post, two of the victims were pronounced dead upon the rescue crew's arrival to the wreck. The vehicle's impact had been so violent, that pieces of the vehicle had been tossed away from the site of the wreck. Moreover, a third person was confirmed dead on Saturday, after being found inside the vehicle. While such circumstances seem strange, the nature of the recovery of the vehicle made for difficult circumstances.
Rescue crews struggled to fight not only steep cliffs and tough terrain but also persistent waves, as the vehicle was found partially submerged and upside-down. As a result, the California cliff rescue was far from smooth. An incoming high tide forced the recovery to be delayed for a whole day. Rescuers had rappelled down to the wreck, but the heavy machinery required to complete the recovery was not able to beat the tide.
The accident was a single-vehicle wreck. The grey, two-door sedan first launched off the southbound side of the road. What followed was a 300-foot tumble down the embankment on Friday morning. The accident was first reported to first responders just before noon. The California Highway Patrol reported that the accident took place between Pacifica and Montara, and Highway 1 was shut down for several hours on Friday as a result of the accident.
Single Vehicle Accident Leaves 3 Dead On California Highway
The accident was not the first to produce such tragic results on California's Highway 1 this summer. In June, a man was killed in a single-vehicle crash on the same highway, in Santa Cruz County. Likewise, a pedestrian was killed in a collision earlier this month. That accident took place near the Soberanes Canyon Trailhead.
Highway 1 is well-known for its scenic views. Otherwise known as the "Pacific Coast Highway," the road runs from Dana Point to Leggett. All-in-all, the road stretches over 650 miles. The scenic views of the Pacific Ocean, as well as Redwood trees and other wildlife sightings, make the road one of the most well-known in the world.
