A motorist has died after their car fell 500 feet from a towering coastal cliff in California.
The horror crash happened at the Hurricane Point scenic overlook along Highway 1 in Big Sur, where the car tumbled down steep, rocky terrain before stopping just above the waterline.
"At approximately 4.22pm on February 10, Monterey County emergency dispatchers received multiple 911 calls reporting that a vehicle had gone off the roadway and was believed to have entered the water," the Monterey County Sheriff's Office said.
The crash took place along one of California's most iconic stretches of coastline.
Big Sur Fire and the Monterey County Sheriff's Office launched a joint search and rescue operation following the emergency calls.
"Responding personnel located the vehicle after it had travelled over a cliff and came to rest more than 500 feet below on the rocks," officials said.
"During the operation, rescuers located one occupant, who was pronounced deceased at the scene."
The victim's body was transferred to the Monterey County Sheriff's Coroner's Office for identification after a four-hour recovery effort.
Rescue teams scrambled to retrieve the vehicle after it smashed into rocks below the Pacific coast highway
|MONTEREY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
Sheriff Tina Nieto offered sympathies to those affected.
"We extend our condolences to the victim's family during this difficult time," she added.
Harsh environmental conditions marked the scene, according to the sheriff, with weather potentially contributing to the fatal accident.
"Weather conditions made recovery efforts extremely challenging," Ms Nieto said.
HORROR CRASHES - READ MORE:
PICTURED: A rescuer scrambles down a cliff face after the vehicle fell from Highway 1
|MONTEREY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
"Strong winds required our Search and Rescue personnel to take additional safety precautions throughout the operation."
The recovery operation lasted approximately four hours as teams navigated the treacherous terrain.
Big Sur experiences increased rainfall during February and remains susceptible to landslides caused by winter storms.
Weather forecasts indicated light rain was falling in the vicinity when the crash occurred.
The California Highway Patrol has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Sections of Highway 1 in Big Sur were shut earlier this year following a significant landslide that damaged the road.
Though the closure was initially scheduled to last until March 30, transport officials reopened the route in mid-January.
Authorities described the stabilisation work as addressing "one of the state's most challenging slopes."
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