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Helicopter rescue: The two children survived the accident unharmed
Photo: San Mateo County Sherriff's Office/AP
A family man is said to have tried to kill his children, his wife and himself by driving his car over a cliff.
The family was driving with the seven- and four-year-old children on a road along a cliff in the US state of California on Monday when the car went off the road and fell about 76 meters.
All occupants survived.
This was reported, among other things, by the US broadcaster CNN.
The incident initially seemed like a terrible accident with a minor outcome.
But now there are increasing signs that the incident was not an accident.
On Tuesday the driver of the car, Dharmesh P., was arrested - he is said to have deliberately driven down the cliff and tried to kill his family.
This is reported by several US media, including the New York Times.
After the accident, the motorway police heard several witnesses and examined the scene of the accident and came to the conclusion that the car crash was a "deliberate act".
The fire department was "very surprised" to find survivors
The car rolled over several times when it fell off the cliff and then landed on its wheels.
He came to a halt on the rocky beach, with the Pacific Ocean lapping a few yards away.
Pictures of the car show a white Tesla that appears to have been crumpled up like a ball of paper.
When the fire brigade arrived on site, they saw someone moving in the front seat.
"So we knew at least one person survived," Fire Department Chief of Operations Brian Pottenger told CNN.
"We were very surprised" that the occupants survived the fall, he said.
Accidents on the cliff are common.
"What rarely happens is that we find survivors." The occupants were trapped, according to Pottenger.
The emergency services roped down from several helicopters to cut the family out of the car.
The two children were rescued from the scene of the accident in baskets with ropes, and the two adults were also rescued shortly afterwards.
A video of the operation shows them being pulled up into the helicopter.
According to the fire department, the children survived the accident unharmed, they sat on the back seat in child seats.
The two adults suffered "non-life-threatening injuries."
The father is to be transferred to prison as soon as he is released from the hospital.
According to those responsible, the self-driving functions of the Tesla were probably switched off, Dharmesh P. apparently controlled the car himself.
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