An Indian-origin man intentionally drove his Tesla car off a cliff in the US with his two children and wife inside it. The vehicle plunged hundreds of feet but all four survived the crash with some injuries on Monday.
Several social media users expressed shock over the incident and called their survival miraculous. But it also prompted some to highlight the build quality of Tesla cars that apparently helped the survival of the family in what could have been a fatal crash.
“With all the criticism of Elon Musk and dropping sales and stock of Tesla, this story at least suggests that Teslas are well-built for safety. Four people survived a plunge off a cliff and regular rescuers in that area are ‘shocked',” a Twitter user wrote.
Another said, "Those Tesla cars are really well built. First responders said they never recovered live people from this crash site”.
Many praised Tesla for making a car that kept its passengers safe in the terrifying accident.
“Amazingly, those four people survived without major injuries. That Tesla must be a well-built vehicle to provide that much safety for occupants. Impressive,” a comment read.
A person wrote, “A testimony to how well built Tesla is. It didn't even burst into flames. I don't even like EVs but this is extraordinary.”
“This speaks very well for the way Tesla is built. Well done! Glad they all survived,” a user wrote, sharing a clip of the rescue operation.
Tagging Tesla CEO Elon Musk, another user wrote, “The fact that they all survived is a testament to how wonderfully safe and well built Tesla cars are… A man injured himself and three others, including two children, after driving his Tesla off a cliff in California on Monday. Absolutely amazing!”
The Indian-origin man was identified as 41-year-old Dharmesh A Patel of Pasadena, California, who was driving the vehicle carrying his wife, four-year-old daughter, and nine-year-old son. Firefighters climbed down the cliff to rescue the children while the adults were rescued using a helicopter.
According to Brian Pottenger, the incident commander for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, it was "very, very rare" for people to survive such a crash.
