Woman rescued from crashed car down cliff at St Marys

Police and emergency services rescued a woman from her crashed car, around 100m down a cliff at St Marys overnight.

Around 5.30pm yesterday police were contacted by the family of a St Marys woman who had not arrived at Bicheno as planned.

The 63-year-old woman was believed to be travelling in her 2002 White Toyota Landcruiser on Elephant Pass Road.

Around 6.10pm the woman's car was located around 100m down a heavily wooded cliff face, on a sweeping bend of road.

"Police, with the assistance of other emergency services personnel, SES volunteers and vertical rescue personnel from the Blackwood Mine, descended the steep cliff face to the location of the crashed vehicle," said Inspector Michael Johnston.

"When rescuers reached the woman, she had self-exited the vehicle which was significantly damaged. She was safely stretchered up the cliff with a rope and pulley system."

The woman had sustained what are believed to be serious but not-life-threatening, head and spinal injuries.

"Police thank all involved in the rescue, which was an excellent example of emergency services and other agencies working together to provide effective emergency services to the community."

Initial investigations indicate the woman had failed to negotiate a sweeping bend when her vehicle collided with the wire rope safety barrier and subsequently rolled down the very steep cliff face.

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