SAN PEDRO, LOS ANGELES, Oct. 1 (KNN) — A dramatic rescue was underway by the Los Angeles City Fire Department late Saturday night when they responded to a vehicle that had crashed into the Pacific Ocean after driving off a cliff leaving the solo occupant deceased at the scene.

The Los Angeles Fire Department and the Los Angeles Police Department’s Harbor Division received numerous calls shortly before 10:30 p.m. for a vehicle over a cliff in the area of the 3700 block of South Meyler Street and West Paseo Del Mar in the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Once units arrived at the scene, they initially reported no rescue, but once LAFD rescue helicopters flew over the area they noticed one vehicle in the water on its roof.

The fire department’s response to the rescue was by land, sea and air, according to the LAFD.

Firefighters were able to descend the steep cliff to the location of the crashed vehicle. It took approximately 20 to 30 minutes just to search for occupants inside the vehicle due to the damage, high tide and rocky shore of Wilders Addition Park, northwest of point Fermin. Divers from fire department boats assisted in the search.

Firefighters stated there was one patient found inside the vehicle but was deceased due to the severity of the crash.

LAFD crews were able to extricate the deceased male occupant from the vehicle, secure the body in a rescue basket, then carried the deceased up to an area where a hoist was used to lift the basket the rest of the way to the top of the cliff, estimated to be approximately 80-feet above the crash site.

According to the LAFD, “A thorough search within the heavily damaged vehicle, as well as a spotlight and helicopter infrared search of the shoreline yielded no other victims.”

What caused the vehicle to go off the cliff and plunge into the ocean is unknown at this time. LAPD’s Harbor Division officers were at the scene for the investigation.

Michael Ullo, Video Journalist / KNN 

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