KERN RIVER CANYON, CA — A man and a woman were rescued on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, after their vehicle plunged approximately 100 feet down a hillside in the Kern River Canyon.
The accident occurred around 6:18 p.m. on eastbound Highway 178 near Rancheria Road. According to the Kern County Fire Department, the driver of a gray Ford Explorer lost control of the vehicle. The SUV went off the road and hit large boulders before falling down the steep embankment.
Because the hillside was so steep, emergency personnel used a specialized rope system to reach the pair and bring them back up to the road. Firefighters escorted the man up the hill, while the woman was lifted to safety in a rescue basket.
Despite the 100-foot fall, both survived the crash with only minor injuries. Hall Ambulance treated them at the scene before taking them to a local hospital for further evaluation.
Fire crews remained on the scene until the rescue area was fully secured. Authorities did not say what caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
