An SUV lost control on the Island Highway and ended up in the ocean on Thursday evening at Oyster Bay, just south of Campbell River.
The lone occupant didn’t appear injured but was transported to hospital by ambulance, possibly as a precaution, according to a police officer on-scene.
Police received an emergency call at 8:17 p.m. and said the vehicle travelled perhaps 40 metres and crossed a three-metre embankment of rock armouring.
An SUV plunged into the ocean at Oyster Bay after losing control on the Island Highway shortly after 8 p.m. on Thursday night. Remarkably the driver was said to be unharmed following a dramatic rescue. Witnesses said the Honda CR-V spun through the air at speed. pic.twitter.com/9auI0UKWHM
— David Gordon Koch (@davidgordonkoch) July 19, 2019
Lisa Feddersen and Gary Schell of Oyster River witnessed the incident from outside a cabin at Oyster Bay Resorts.
“We seen it come and roll, roll, roll into the water,” Feddersen said.
“It disappeared and we heard a splash, just like a movie,” Schell said.
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Despite barreling through the air, the Honda CR-V ended up floating wheels-down in the water. The occupant was trying to kick his way out, Schell said.
The witnesses said three men rescued the driver by jumping into the water and securing the vehicle with rope before the driver smashed a window.
“They jumped right in the water and asked everybody for ropes… they just held onto the car, it was sinking,” Schell said.
“And then the guy booted out the back window, and then he came out.”
Schell said other witnesses saw the man driving erratically northbound before the incident took place.
By around 10 p.m. a tow truck was fishing the badly damaged vehicle from the water, shutting down traffic in both directions. Traffic was moving freely after 10:30 p.m.
@davidgordonkoch
david.koch@campbellrivermirror.com
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