Most of us have probably had a nightmare or two about driving off the side of the road and ending up in the water.
When that became a terrifying reality for one woman, she was lucky that skilled rescuers were nearby and ready to help.
The driver, an anonymous woman, veered off the Pacific Coast Highway in her Mercedes-Benz and went over a rocky bluff. She plunged into the Pacific Ocean around 1 in the afternoon, and though she was able to wriggle loose of her car on her own, she then found herself stranded on the rocky cliffside.
Image Credit: Ventura County
The Ventura County Aviation Unit, who coordinated and performed the rescue, posted a video of the impressive feat, beginning with stabilizing the stokes basket – a metal or wire basket used in rescue operations – after they lowered it to the ground.
Once they have the woman secured inside, they carefully haul her away from the wind and water crashing into the cliff until she’s safely inside the helicopter.
Image Credit: Ventura County
The helicopter arrived on the scene within 20 minutes and transported the woman, who sustained “major injuries” to Los Robles Regional Medical Center.
Image Credit: Ventura County
The Ventura County Aviation Unit confirmed all of this on Twitter.
“Rescue this afternoon on the PCH for a vehicle that drove off the road into the ocean. Single occupant rescued from the water by ground teams, hoisted to the helicopter, and flown to Los Robles Regional Medical Center.”
Here’s the dramatic video!
It seems that all’s well that end’s well, though I hope the woman does manage to make a full recovery in time.
I bet it will be awhile before she drives on the PCH again, though.