Man drives river from five meters high: « Fortunately his windows were open and he could escape » (inland)

The traffic accident happened at 6.15 pm on the Brugsesteenweg in Sint-Joris near Nieuwpoort. A man drove his Ford Mondeo over the Unie Bridge in the direction of Mannekenvere when it went on the bridge completely wrong. For an unknown reason, the man went through the second row of the Brugeling and thundered with his car five meters deeper into the water of the IJzer.

Witnesses who were on the spot just after the accident called the emergency services. The fire brigade immediately pulled out with several divers and the police also rushed on the spot. « Fortunately, the victim was already out of the vehicle on the arrival of the emergency services, » says Hélène Ingels of the West Coast police zone. « It is a man, a man, he was able to free himself from the vehicle. The man received the medical worries on the spot and then brought a medical check-up to the hospital. There is no life danger. »

The victim is a man around 40 from Torhout. « He was around here for his work, » says his stepson. “I don’t know what exactly happened, but according to the police he was good luck. His side windows at the front were apparently open and therefore he was able to scramble outside quickly before the car started to sink. I didn’t hear him yet, but according to what I heard he was not really injured but very much in shock. Logical when you see the diving. I will hopefully find it. « 

After the accident, the car quickly sank to the bottom of the iron. It was no easy matter for the emergency services and Takelaar to get the car up. To give them all the space to do their work, shipping traffic on the IJzer was stopped. After the fire brigade had localized the car, it was recorded. Then the towing service stood on the towpath along the IJzer and straps were attached to the hook arm by divers. The Ford was then carefully hoisted to the side and lifted out of the water. After all the water had walked out of the sunken car it could be brought to the dry. During the intervention, traffic across the bridge was not possible all the time.