Driver rescued from sinking car after crashing into Princess Royal Harbour in Albany

A man jumped into Princess Royal Harbour and rescued a young woman from the chilly waters as her car was sinking after a crash in Albany on Sunday. Emergency services were called to the harbour about 12.50pm where a white sedan was in the water about 10m from Princess Royal Drive. A witness, who arrived at the scene just after the crash, said he saw a man jump into the “freezing” water in his jeans and wade out to the 20-year-old woman. She had managed to climb out of the window after her car plunged into the harbour, he said. “She just went straight off the road and straight into the drink — and it went quite a way in,” the witness said. “And you could just see the car was sinking, sinking, sinking. “By the time he went out there and got her and came back the car had sunk. “It would have been freezing cold so it was good of him to go in and fetch her out like that. “He didn’t seem to hesitate — he went straight in.” The witness said the “windscreen wipers were still going” as the car was sinking. A crowd of onlookers gathered on Princess Royal Drive as the dramatic scenes unfolded, including tourists who saw the crash from the Brig Amity across the road. Albany Police Acting Senior Sergeant Brendon Blades said the vehicle was driven through the parking area of Princes Royal Drive into the ocean, drifted and came to a rest on a sand bed. “It appears the car has traveled at speed, became airborne and has gone into the ocean,” he said. Paramedics were called to the crash where they attended to the female driver. Sn. Sgt Blades said the driver, the single occupant of the vehicle, was uninjured and did not require any further treatment. She was taken to Albany Police Station for further inquiries. The car was retrieved from the harbour later on Sunday afternoon with the help of a crane. Sgt Blades said the crash was still under investigation by Great Southern traffic officers and no charges had been laid.