Maroubra woman dies in hospital after hatchback crashes through railing

The driver of a car which crashed through a barrier and landed about 6m below on Maroubra Beach on Wednesday has died in hospital. Her passenger remains in critical condition.

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The driver of a car which crashed through a barrier and landed about 6m below on Maroubra Beach on Wednesday has died in hospital.

Police were told on Saturday afternoon the woman, 86, from Maroubra, who was suffering head and spinal injuries, had died in Royal North Shore Hospital.

Her passenger, and 80-year-old man from Mona Vale, remains in Royal North Shore in a critical condition, police said on Sunday.

A scene from the crash. Photo: Randwick Council.

Emergency services were called to the northern end of Maroubra Beach about 2.30pm on Wednesday after the Mazda 3 hatchback drove through a railing on Marine Pde, dropped over a wall and crashed onto the sand below.

Crews freed the man, who was trapped inside the vehicle for a short period.

He was treated at the scene for chest, head and lower limb injuries before being flown to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition.

The female passenger was found in the back seat of the car and paramedics said it “was unclear if she was somehow ejected from the front seat”.

NSW Ambulance duty operations manager Liam McDermott said she sustained spinal and chest injuries and has been taken to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition.

Both patients were placed in an induced coma. No other people were injured.

Eleven emergency crews responded to the incident. Photo: NSW Ambulance.

Mr McDermott said it was unclear exactly how the incident unfolded.

“At this stage we’re unsure about the events leading up to it,” he said.

“While both patients are in a critical condition, the incident could have been a lot worse.

“The car landed quite far back from the water’s edge (and) being a wet, rainy day it was fortunate no one on the beach was injured.”

The barrier on Marine Pde. Picture: Christian Gilles

A crowd watched on from the top of the cliffs as emergency crews including a rescue helicopter responded to the scene.

“It did draw a lot of public attention,” Mr McDermott said.

“A lot of people run up and down the beach and it’s close to where cafes are as well.

“It’s certainly a very rare incident. We don’t usually see a car coming over barricades and ending up on the beach.”