19-year-old Indian-origin UC Santa Cruz student dies after car plunges off cliff in US

A 19-year-old Indian-origin student at the University of California, Santa Cruz, lost her life after the vehicle she was riding in plunged off a cliff into the Pacific Ocean along the city’s coastline. The victim has been identified as Alli Renee Singh, a passenger in the vehicle who was preparing to enter her third year at the university. According to reports citing local authorities and emergency officials, the incident occurred at approximately 12:50 AM on August 13 along West Cliff Drive.

The red vehicle was travelling near Steamer Lane, a renowned surfing spot known for its steep cliffs and turbulent waves, when it lost control and went over the edge, landing upside down in the ocean below. Emergency response teams dispatched five units from the Santa Cruz Fire Department, alongside crews from the Central Fire District, Scotts Valley Fire, and the Santa Cruz Police Department. Rescue swimmers entered the rough water to reach the vehicle, but Singh remained trapped underwater inside the submerged car. The male driver managed to escape the vehicle before rescue efforts and sustained only minor injuries.

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Heavy equipment and a rescue crane were later deployed to extract the red sedan from the rocky shoreline as waves battered the crash site. UC Santa Cruz officials expressed grief after confirming the tragedy. University spokesman Scott Hernandez-Jason stated to The Pajaronian that the institution was heartbroken by the loss of one of its students, confirming that support resources and counselling services are being offered to classmates, friends, and family.

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The victim’s aunt, Monica Singh-Strohmeier, shared the news of her niece’s passing on social media, describing her as a loving young woman whose sudden loss has left the family devastated. Local police are continuing to investigate the underlying causes of the crash.