On Monday, a Tesla sedan carrying two minors and two adults — none of whom have been publicly identified — went over the treacherous cliff,known as the Devil’s Slide, according to the Associated Press.

In a video update later that day,Brian Pottenger, a battalion chief for Coastside Fire Protection District/Cal Fire, said that damage to the vehicle suggested it “flipped several times” before landing on the beach on its wheels.

When they first arrived, Pottenger said that authorities did not know how many people were inside, but that they could see there was “movement in the front seat.”

“We knew we had at least one person that was alive,” he added. “We were actually very shocked.”

Speaking at the scene, Pottenger said that authorities “come out here unfortunately all too oftenfor things like this.”

“They never live,” he said, per the AP. “This was an absolute miracle.”

The Devil’s Slide is located near Pacifica along the famous Highway 1 — which runs almost the entire length of California’s Pacific coastline — and has been the site of a number of fatalities over the past five decades.

Scenes from the Tesla crash rescue.Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock (13692404c) This image from video provided by San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office shows a Tesla vehicle that plunged off a Northern California cliff along the Pacific Coast Highway, near an area known as Devil’s Slide, leaving four people in critical condition, a fire official said. The vehicle fell about 250 feet (76.20 meters) from the highway, the fire official said. Motorists were told to expect delays as rescuers worked. Helicopters were expected to transport four people to hospitals California Car Falls Off Cliff, Pacifica, United States - 01 Dec 2022

The victims were all initially listed as being in critical condition, but the AP reported that all four individuals, whose relationship has not yet been publicly established, were conscious and alert when authorities arrived to begin the rescue operation, which took several hours.

The two adults"suffered non-life threatening injuries," according to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.

Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock (13692395a) In this image from video provided by Cal Fire San Mateo, Santa Cruz Unit, emergency personnel respond to the scene after a Tesla plunged off a cliff along the Pacific Coast Highway, in Northern California, near an area known as Devil’s Slide, leaving four people in critical condition, a fire official said. The vehicle fell about 250 feet (76.20 meters) from the highway, the fire official said. Motorists were told to expect delays as rescuers worked. Helicopters were expected to transport four people to hospitals California Car Falls Off Cliff, Pacifica, United States - 02 Jan 2023

“They were more scared than they were hurt,” the official said, per the news agency.

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The Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment, while CHP was not able to immediately provide additional details on the incident.

Officials assisting at the scene.Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock (13692404a) In this image from video provided by San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, emergency personnel respond after a Tesla plunged off a Northern California cliff along the Pacific Coast Highway, near an area known as Devil’s Slide, leaving four people in critical condition, a fire official said California Car Falls Off Cliff, Pacifica, United States - 01 Dec 2022

An investigation into what caused the vehicle to go over the cliff is underway, although Andrews said officials do not believe the Tesla was operating on autopilot at the time, reported the AP.

Road conditions are also not thought to be a factor, per the news agency.

source: people.com