Horror as car plunges off famous California cliff and into the ocean

One person was killed and another injured after a car plunged off a cliff and into the ocean along Santa Cruz’s iconic West Cliff Drive early Thursday.

The crash was reported around 12:50 a.m. near Steamer Lane after a vehicle went into the water, the Santa Cruz Fire Department said.

One victim managed to escape the submerged vehicle and suffered minor injuries. Rescue swimmers searched the ocean for a second person who was believed to be trapped inside the car.

Firefighters eventually removed that victim, but the person later died at a nearby hospital.

Dramatic images showed the red car being hauled from the churning ocean by a crane, with powerful waves crashing against the cliffs.

Santa Cruz Fire sent all five of its units to the scene, along with three units from Central Fire District, a battalion chief from Scotts Valley Fire and Santa Cruz police.

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