SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Firefighters with the San Diego Fire Department raced to rescue a driver who went over a sea cliff in La Jolla Saturday evening. Through the rain, winds and high surf, firefighters airlifted the man to safety.
An ABC 10News reporter witnessed the remarkable rescue. The white Cadillac Escalade went over the cliff in the 1200 block of Coast Blvd. around 5:30 p.m. A broken fence can be seen nearby where the vehicle went over the edge before it was suspended on the rocks below.
Firefighters told 10News the driver was parked on Coast Boulevard, when for unknown reasons, the car suddenly went over the edge.
"By sheer luck, the car landed where it was. It could have been worse," said Dave Seneviratne, a battalion chief with SDFD. "The car could have gone over the side, and it would have been a whole different outcome."
First, firefighters used ropes to secure the Escalade, then brought in a massive crane and pulley system to airlift the driver out.
"Pretty much flew the patient from the ledge down there up to Coast Boulevard, where we patched the patient up, and he's en route to the hospital right now," Seneviratne told 10News Saturday night.
A crowd gathered in the rain to witness the dramatic rescue unfold.
"Very crazy scene — the rescue team did awesome out here trying to keep everyone level headed, not worrying and crying," Tyler Mitchell, one of the witnesses, said. "They had ropes getting down there and there was a spotlight. Just double checking that the car wasn’t going anywhere… because the front two tires were off the edge of the rocks."
SDFD told 10News the driver is stable, miraculously only suffering minor injuries in this incident.
"Just go slow on the roads, and you know, be blessed by God," Mitchell said.
The rescue took about 90 minutes to complete. SDFD says a total of 33 personnel responded to this call.
Happening now - vehicle off the road onto rocks on the beach at 1200 Coast Blv. Driver trapped. Solo occupant. Firefighters & lifeguards working to rescue the victim. #coastcrash pic.twitter.com/rV6a6fGS40
— SDFD (@SDFD) January 15, 2023
