Last Friday, three people were killed after a vehicle drove off the side of a cliff in California. The cliff, between 300 to 400 feet high, where the accident occurred is ominously referred to by locals as the “Devil’s Slide.” The area in which the victims were driving is known for its perilous conditions, featuring winding roads and dangerous drop-offs.
According to reports, the victims in the fatal crash included San Francisco residents 29-year-old Mohammad Noory and 28-year-old Angelica Gacho, along with 36-year-old Brylyn Aroma of Fort Riley, Kansas. The individuals were driving a gray, two-door sedan that plunged off the highway, after which the car was discovered upside down and submerged in water.
Authorities have not yet released the official cause of the crash. However, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office recently posted about a search and rescue training mission that prepared authorities to navigate “diverse off-road terrains,” suggesting that there has always been a fear surrounding the dangerous features of the region’s geography.
“Recently, a dedicated team of 10 members from the San Mateo County Search and Rescue (SMCSAR) attended a specialized off-road training. The training enhanced their proficiency in safely navigating diverse off-road terrains, equipping them with crucial skills to tackle challenging trails and unpredictable conditions. SMCSAR operates under the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services Bureau, comprising entirely of passionate volunteers who are committed to providing professional search and rescue services in San Mateo County and across the state. Their intensive training sessions ensure they are prepared for any emergency – from rescues in remote wilderness areas to urban disaster responses,” the post read.
The American Tribune reported on a similar accident involving challenging terrain earlier this month when five people were involved in a car crash in Yellowstone National Park that sent a vehicle plunging into an inactive geyser. A large SUV lost control while driving in a Wyoming section of the park before it swerved off the road into the acidic waters. Fortunately, all five occupants of the vehicle were rescued safely.
“On Thursday, July 11, at about 10:40 a.m., a car with five occupants inadvertently drove off the roadway and into the Semi-Centennial Geyser thermal feature near Roaring Mountain between Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris Junction in Yellowstone National Park,” a statement from the National Park Service read on July 11.
The statement further read, “All five occupants exited the vehicle on their own, and each individual was transported via ambulance to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Today, July 12, law enforcement rangers temporarily closed both lanes of the roadway near the accident in order to safely lift the car out of the thermal feature.”
The waters were around 105 degrees Fahrenheit and acidic, illustrating the dangers of the predicament. Luckily, the individuals weren’t trapped in the vehicle or submerged for too long. “The vehicle was fully submerged in about nine feet of water. The Semi-Centennial Geyser thermal feature has acidic and hot surface water temperatures (ranging around 105 degrees Fahrenheit). After being closed for about two hours, the roadway reopened.”
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