A Russian female tourist was killed and two others were injured when their car plunged off a 200ft cliff in the Philippines on Monday afternoon.

The three backpackers reportedly drank Vodka - the bottles were in the wreckage - before driving the red Toyota Vios from coastal Moalboal Town to Cebu City in Cebu province on January 8.

However, while approaching a curved section of the highway, the car veered into the opposite lane and crashed through the guardrails, plummeting down the coastal cliff and landing on rocks at a nearby beach.

Footage shows the crumpled sedan lying upside-down on the shallows as residents crowded around and searched the wreckage for survivors.

Two injured Russian men were rescued, and a Russian woman was found dead at the scene.

Police have identified the casualty as passenger Irina Akcehoba Aksenova, 43, and the men as Arcehob Akssenov Georgii and driver Iurii Sergeevich Samminskii.

The survivors were rushed to a hospital and were still confined as of Tuesday, January 9, afternoon.

Residents said the men were 'lucky' it was low-tide, as they would have drowned otherwise.

Police Major Janus Giangan, chief of the Barili Police Station, said cops believed the tourists had been drunk.

He said: 'We found three bottles of liquor in the car that fell off the cliff. It is possible that the driver was under the influence before travelling that afternoon.

'The area where the accident happened is a curved part of the highway. The driver may have been sleepy from the alcohol and dozed off at the wheel while passing through.'

Police said they are yet to interrogate the tourists who were still recovering from their injuries and not fluent in English.

The local government said it has contacted the Russian Embassy to inform the tourists' relatives.

Barili Mayor Pablo John Garcia IV said in a statement: 'The LGU (Barili) has facilitated the transportation of the tourists to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City where they are currently being treated. The woman who died is kept at the Barili District Hospital's morgue while awaiting representatives from the embassy.

'While the area where their car fell off the cliff is not considered accident-prone because this is the first time something like this has happened, we will coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to explore the possible installation of signs in the area.'

He also urged drivers to exercise extra caution and to refrain from drinking alcohol before driving.