Emergency services were alerted early on Sunday morning after reports of a four-by-four vehicle on the verge of falling into the sea at Cala de la Higuera, a cliff area on the northern coastline of Torrevieja. The call was made before dawn, more than an hour before sunrise.

Firefighters from the Torrevieja fire station attended and found the vehicle balanced at the edge of the cove. The car had become stuck in thick mud, which prevented it from plunging into the water below. The front wheels were embedded just as the nose of the vehicle pointed towards the drop. No one was inside the car when crews arrived, and firefighters cordoned off the area as a safety precaution until the vehicle could be removed.

A short time later, Local Police arrived and located a couple nearby close to restaurants in the area. Officers believe they had been travelling in the vehicle. The man, thought to be the driver, agreed to a breathalyser test and recorded a very high level of alcohol. However, police are unlikely to pursue a drink-driving charge, as there is no direct evidence that he was driving at the time. The couple, who are of Colombian origin, were escorted home as they were not fit to make their own way.