A person has fallen 250 feet to their death off the notorious “Devil’s Slide” after suffering an apparent medical episode.
The victim, who has not been named, toppled over the cliff at Gray Whale Cove State Beach, off Highway 1 in San Mateo County, around 11:45 a.m. Tuesday.
Witnesses told authorities the victim may have experienced some kind of medical emergency when they fell, according to the sheriff’s office.
During the time it took first responders to gain access to the area, Highway 1 had to be shut down in both directions for about 30 minutes. It has since reopened.
The San Mateo County Coroner’s Office will notify next of kin and determine the official cause and manner of death. Gray Whale Cove State Beach has crumbly rocks and sheer cliffs.
It is only reachable by a steep, long staircase that leads down to the beach which features a sheltered cove surrounded by cliffs that drop abruptly into the Pacific Ocean.
Calls to The Post about what happened on Tuesday or the identity of the person who died were not returned immediately.
Earlier this month, a driver was killed after plunging 500 feet off a cliff near scenic Big Sur, further down the coast from Pacifica, as storms swept through the area, police said.
The unidentified motorist was driving along Highway 1 near Hurricane Point around 4:22 p.m. when the vehicle launched off the road, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Frantic 911 callers reported the incident, fearing the vehicle had fallen into the dangerous ocean below.
Members of the sheriff’s Search & Rescue team, along with California Highway Patrol personnel and Big Sur Fire workers, located the vehicle more than 500 feet below the road on the craggy rocks below.
Rescuers discovered the car’s occupant, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The person’s identity was not disclosed.