Around half past five this evening a car drove into the ditch along the Zuiderweg in Opperdoes. Ramon and Roel, two 112 photographers, came to the report and found the car upside down in the clump. When it became clear that the driver was still in the car, they did not hesitate for a second and jumped after the car. They managed to smash the window of the car and pull the woman ashore.
112 photographers
These press photographers drive throughout the region, capturing accidents, fires and other hard news. They are often on the scene very quickly, sometimes even before the emergency services. In the case of Roel and Ramon, that worked out well.
“That’s just something you don’t think about,” Photographer Roel of GLOCALmedia tells NH Nieuws. “You just have to do that.” The driver was resuscitated by emergency services and rushed to hospital. There was no one else in the car.
Into the water
The two arrived at the accident just before half past five this evening, before the emergency services. Roel rushed to the bystanders and immediately asked: ‘Did someone get out of the car?’ When this turned out not to be the case, the duo didn’t have to think twice. “Then we make a decision and jump into the water,” explains Roel. Once in the ditch, they find the car upside down, with the hood in the mud. Due to the pressure of the water, she was unable to open the doors.
“Then I quickly asked for an emergency hammer from the police”, they had also arrived in the meantime. “With that, we managed to tap into a rear window of the car.” But then they are not there yet.
In the meantime, an officer has also jumped into the water and the trio hastily searches for the driver. Roel managed to pull a child seat out of the car, “luckily it was empty.”
“Fortunately, I was able to shower with a local resident and quickly put on dry clothes at home”
A firefighter also jumped into the water. As the pressure had eased somewhat in the car, the back door was able to open. “I feel a hand!” the fireman shouted. With all his might, the woman managed to pull the woman out of the car and ashore. Here she was resuscitated by the emergency services and transferred to the ambulance.
Dry clothes
The police spokesman says that he is very happy with the heroic act of the photographer. “Often bystanders are on site before the police,” the spokesperson explains. “Then you hope someone acts this way.” It is still unclear exactly how the woman ended up in the water, but according to the police it appears to be a single-vehicle accident.
After the heroic act, the duo just had to get back to work. “Fortunately, I was able to shower with a local resident and quickly put on dry clothes at home,” Roel says cheerfully. “Now on to the next job.” Both photographers are doing well.
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