Car plunges into Vlissengen Road canal

Aug 31, 2008 News

A public-spirited citizen makes his way into the partially submerged vehicle.

Shortly before noon yesterday, a motorcar with licence plate number PFF 5267 plunged into the canal on Vlissengen Road, just outside of the Esso Service Station.

Passers-by said that they heard an exceptionally loud splash as the car veered off the road and into the canal. It was also reported that the car was speeding.

Eyewitnesses report that the two occupants of the car, the driver and a female passenger, made desperate attempts to get out of the car once it was in the water.

The passenger managed to exit the vehicle through the passenger door, but turned back to help the driver, who initially was unable to leave the car.

Bystanders explained that the driver attempted to exit the car through the window, but was unable to do so.
However, by the time the police arrived on the scene, the occupants of the car were nowhere to be found.

Air bubbles which were coming from inside of the car caused some to believe that the occupants were trapped in the vehicle, but checks by police ranks and public spirited citizens revealed that this was not the case.

The passengers returned to the scene of the accident sometime later, as the car was being removed from the canal by a tow truck.