Indian-Origin Teen Dies After Car Plunges Off Cliff Into Ocean In US

An Indian-origin teen died in the United States after the car she was travelling in plunged off a cliff into the ocean near Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz.  Alli Renee Singh,19, was a psychology major at the University of California, Santa Cruz and was affiliated with the university's John R Lewis College community, where she enrolled in June 2024, according to a report by NRI Pulse. 

The emergency rescue team responding to the crash found Singh's car, which had one more occupant, submerged off the rocky coastline. Police said the other occupant, a male, managed to escape and suffered minor injuries while Singh remained trapped inside.

According to the report, four professional divers attempted to reach Singh on time. She was lifted from the sea and transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where she died of her injuries, according to the Fire Department. 

The accident occurred on April 13 near Santa Cruz's iconic Steamer Lane surf break. The Los Angeles Times reported that the section of West Cliff Drive, near where the accident took place, was heavily damaged due to ongoing coastal erosion.

Singh's aunt, Monica Singh-Strohmeier, shared a statement on social media confirming Singh's death and urging privacy for her family during this difficult time.

"It is with a very sad and heavy heart that I deliver this news to you," she wrote, saying her niece had died in a "tragic auto accident."

She said Singh, who was originally from Selma in California's Fresno County, was preparing to begin her third year at UC Santa Cruz.

"She was a very smart, beautiful, and loving young lady and will be missed by all who crossed her path. We ask for privacy for her mother during this difficult time and will keep everyone posted as arrangements are finalized," she wrote. 

The fatal accident reignited concerns over the narrowing distance between traffic and the cliff's edge due to continuous erosion. A similar incident occurred in June, when three people died after losing control of their vehicle and tumbling 400 feet off an embankment in the Santa Cruz Mountains.