Traffic was disrupted in both directions of Highway 1 north of Half Moon Bay Thursday afternoon, as a car went over a cliff shortly before 1 pm, and the driver of that car has been pronounced dead.
A 12:40 pm traffic accident on the winding coastal Highway 1 in San Mateo has taken at least one life, as NBC Bay Area reports one person is dead after their car flew off a cliff early Thursday afternoon. It’s currently unclear if there was more than one person in the car, and what exactly caused the accident.
There is a vehicle over the cliff at Gray Whale Cove State Beach in Montara. Traffic on Highway 1 will be impacted. Stay tuned for updates. Please give emergency vehicles room to operate. @KCBSAMFMTraffic @CaltransD4 @sanmateoco @SMCSheriff pic.twitter.com/qAifCedmId
— CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) April 18, 2024
The CAL FIRE San Mateo - Santa Cruz Unit first notified the public shortly after 1 pm Thursday that “There is a vehicle over the cliff at Gray Whale Cove State Beach in Montara.” That report merely noted that “Highway 1 will be impacted.”
From @sanmateoco SMC Alert: Both directions of traffic are impacted for the next 2-3 hours on Hwy 1 South of Gray Whale Cove due to a vehicle accident. Use alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/BVD83AMth2
— CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) April 18, 2024
Some 20 minutes later, that organization noted that a “vehicle accident” would impact traffic in both directions, which KTVU reported was limiting the two-lane highway to one-lane traffic. According to NBC Bay Area, the driver of the car that went over the cliff was pronounced dead at 1:45 pm Thursday.
UPDATE: One lane traffic control is in effect at Gray Whale Cove on Highway 1 in @sanmateoco Firefighters have reached the vehicle over the cliff 200ft down, and a CHP helicopter has lowered one person onto the rocks where the vehicle has landed. Multiple agencies are on scene. pic.twitter.com/uTJUTvPGa8
— CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) April 18, 2024
Firefighters were able to reach the vehicle, and a CHP copter lowered one rescue team member to the car by 2:20 pm. CAL Fire said at that time that “Multiple agencies are on scene.”
UPDATE: Estimated time for both lanes of Highway 1 to reopen is 3:30pm. pic.twitter.com/GBGIKgTv5z
— CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) April 18, 2024
The most recent update we’ve since heard from CAL Fire is that both lanes of Highway 1 were expected to reopen by 3:30 pm. It’s currently unclear whether both of those lanes have since reopened.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
Related: Man Rescued After Driving Car Off Big Sur Cliff and Getting Stranded For Two Days [SFist]
Image: @CALFIRECZU via Twitter