Advertisement

Heroes dive into freezing Amsterdam canal to rescue mum and bub from sinking car

Dramatics scenes in Amsterdam have seen four local men dive into icy water to rescue a mum and her baby from a sinking car.

RTL Nieuws reports that the woman’s vehicle had crashed into a canal on Tuesday afternoon.

The rescuers used rocks to smash the windows of the vehicle. Photo: Y. Visser/AT5 News
The rescuers used rocks to smash the windows of the vehicle. Photo: Y. Visser/AT5 News

It is believed the mother had tried to secure a parking space close to the Schinkel River and as she went to leave the car, it continued to roll forward.

She desperately tried to free her child in the backseat, but was pulled into the cold water with the car.

As the car sinks into the canal, the rescuers can be seen desperately trying to free the trapped woman and her baby. Photo: RTL Nieuws
As the car sinks into the canal, the rescuers can be seen desperately trying to free the trapped woman and her baby. Photo: RTL Nieuws

Several witnesses to the accident did not hesitate to remove their winter coats and jump into the canal, helping the woman and her baby to escape the sinking wreck.

After the rescue, the group swim back to land. Photo: RTL Nieuws
After the rescue, the group swim back to land. Photo: RTL Nieuws

They used a hammer and rocks to carefully break into the car to free the trapped pair.

The four rescuers were hailed as local heroes for their efforts.

Members of the public step in to help the rescuers out of the freezing water. Photo: RTL Nieuws
Members of the public step in to help the rescuers out of the freezing water. Photo: RTL Nieuws

The men, who did not know each other before the incident, linked arms for a photograph after the rescue.

This tweet from a local media outlet shared a photo of the men with the caption: 'Here they are: the four men who rescued the mother and child out of the water'.

One of the heroes, Ruben Abrahams, told local media his heroic moves were ‘quite a natural reaction’.

“I think every healthy young man would have jumped into the water”, he told RTL Nieuws.

The four men have been hailed as local heroes for their fast-thinking. Photo: RTL Nieuws
The four men have been hailed as local heroes for their fast-thinking. Photo: RTL Nieuws

The mum and bub were taken to hospital, where they are recovering well.

Bystanders lift car off trapped mum and baby after Newcastle crash

A group of bystanders lifted a one-tonne car off a mother and baby who were trapped underneath it after a horrific crash at a cafe in Newcastle.



Hero mates help free mother trapped in car after horror crash

A woman was left trapped inside her smashed car for an hour before being freed by two locals after a horror crash in Sydney's east.