One person was killed and another injured after a car plunged off a cliff and into the ocean along Santa Cruz’s iconic West Cliff Drive early Thursday.

The crash was reported around 12:50 a.m. near Steamer Lane after a vehicle went into the water, the Santa Cruz Fire Department said.

One victim managed to escape the submerged vehicle and suffered minor injuries. Rescue swimmers searched the ocean for a second person who was believed to be trapped inside the car.

Firefighters eventually removed that victim, but the person later died at a nearby hospital.

Dramatic images showed the red car being hauled from the churning ocean by a crane, with powerful waves crashing against the cliffs.

Santa Cruz Fire sent all five of its units to the scene, along with three units from Central Fire District, a battalion chief from Scotts Valley Fire and Santa Cruz police.

The stretch of coastline is one of Santa Cruz’s most famous, with towering cliffs overlooking the Pacific and the renowned Steamer Lane surf break drawing visitors and surfers year-round.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters