One person dead after car drives off Santa Cruz Wharf

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (NBC, KYMA) - One person has died after a car they were driving went off the Santa Cruz Wharf and into the ocean Sunday.

A chaotic scene at the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf Sunday morning.

Just before 10:00 a.m., first responders were dispatched after reports a car went off the pier and into the ocean.

Jimena Flores, an employee at a nearby candy store, says she didn't hear the car go into the water, but a customer did and rushed in to tell them what happened.

"He said, 'There is someone who just drove off the wharf.' I said, 'Let me get my supervisor.' I told her and we came out here to check what was happening to see if we could do something," Flores shared.

She called 911 and rescue efforts were already underway.

"Immediately, our responders, our lifeguards, made entry into the water to the reported area where the car was reported submerged," said Josh Coleman, Battalion Chief for the Santa Cruz Fire Department (SCFD).

First responders say the conditions weren't great, with low visibility in the water.

"Today, there is significant swell in the water, so we were upstaffing lifeguards. We had four lifeguards at Lifeguard Headquarters, which is located here at Santa Cruz, and we were on scene within three minutes and getting right in the water," David Bodine, Marine Safety Captain with SCFD.

About 10 minutes into the search, they found the car.

"They located the vehicle on its roof with all the windows intact and the subject inside unconscious with the support of 13 total lifeguards, 2 PWCs and two boats. We were the responders were able to break a window in the car and extricate the single subject inside," Coleman detailed.

Santa Cruz firefighters say the person was taken to the harbor and the hospital, but did not survive.

"That's awful. It's a terrible thing and it's crazy. I just feel bad for their family," Flores expressed.