- Cybertruck apparently backed in accidentally
- Rescue operation required careful coordination
A Tesla Cybertruck became fully submerged in the Ventura Harbor Monday, sparking a careful response to get it out.
One of the groups that helped pull the truck from the water was TowBoatUS Ventura, a commercial towboat company.
Capt. Carson Shevitz, a spokesperson for the towboat firm, said a Ventura Harbor Patrol unit had been doing its usual sweeps shortly before 11 a.m. when the crew spotted the Cybertruck. It was reportedly quickly rolling backward down a ramp that leads into the water in the 1400 block of Anchors Way, he said.
The driver, a Ventura man, had been offloading a Jet Ski-type personal watercraft, Shevitz said. He apparently had meant to drive forward but accidentally put the truck in reverse, backing it into the water, the captain said.
The man was able to safely exit the Cybertruck before the electric vehicle became fully submerged, he said.
In addition to the towboat company, personnel from the Ventura Fire Department, Ventura Harbor Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife were among those who responded, the captain said. Ventura city fire and harbor patrol officials both referred questions to other agencies.
A Tesla engineer also came to the scene, Shevitz said.
Once authorities had cleared the truck of any potential risks of a battery fire, a diver from the towboat company took to the water. The diver hooked a tow cable to the submerged truck. The truck was then slowly pulled onto the bed of a Redline Towing Inc. tow truck.
“We purposely did not rush into the response to allow time to research all potential hazards and ensure contingency plans were in place,” he said.
One of the concerns was that once the truck was pulled from the water, the battery might catch fire and burn off.
The actual recovery took about 30 minutes. In all, the Cybertruck had been in the water for just short of two hours, Shevitz said.
Shevitz said it’s unusual to have a vehicle go into the water at the harbor, but it happens sporadically. He recalled three such incidents in the past year but said those three were the first in awhile.
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at [email protected].
