Two children and two adults survive after Tesla plunges 250 feet off California cliff - NBC News

Two adults and 2 children, ages 4 and 9, were rescued from a Tesla that plunged 250 feet disconnected a cliff Monday greeting successful San Mateo County, California, officials said. 

The car was traveling southbound connected the Pacific Coast Highway erstwhile it went implicit the cliff astatine Devil’s Slide, southbound of the Tom Lantos tunnel, and landed adjacent the water’s borderline below, the Cal Fire San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit said. 

The car flipped and landed connected its wheels successful the fall, CAL FIRE/Coastside Fire Incident Commander Brian Pottenger said. Witnesses saw the mishap and called 911. 

As crews were lowered down to the clang site, they were capable to spot question successful the beforehand seat, done their binoculars, meaning idiosyncratic was alive.

“We were really precise shocked erstwhile we recovered survivable victims successful the vehicle. So, that really was a truly hopeful infinitesimal for us,” Pottenger said. 

He told NBC News it’s “very, precise rare” for determination to beryllium survivors of specified a steep fall. "It’s reasonably communal that we get vehicles disconnected these cliffs” successful the country southbound of Devil’s Slide, helium added.

Fire officials called for helicopters to assistance hoist the survivors to safety. As they waited, firefighters rappelled to the country and rescued the 2 children.

Pottenger said some children were successful car seats that "saved their lives."

"The car seats really did their job. Amazingly, they stayed successful place. They were intact, and determination was nary harm to them," helium said.

The California Highway Patrol shared video on societal media showing helicopters little archetypal responders to the country to extricate and rescue 2 adults inside. 

Pottenger said that the kids and adults were “grateful that we were there.” 

All 4 were hospitalized astatine Stanford Medical Center.

Pottenger said the kids suffered immoderate insignificant musculoskeletal injuries and the adults suffered mean traumatic injuries to respective areas of their bodies. All were awake and conscious erstwhile they were transferred to the hospital. 

It's not wide what caused the car to spell implicit the cliff. CHP is handling the investigation.

CHP said that they bash not judge the conveyance was successful self-driving mode.