Pensioner in his 70s is ‘very lucky’ to be alive after his car plunged into a river when he put it in ‘drive’ instead of reverse
- Man believed to have accidentally driven his Citroen C3 into water in Inverness
- Police, coastguard, ambulance and fire service attended scene by Nairn Harbour
- Eyewitnesses said driver escaped onto rocks and was helped up with a lifebelt
- He was treated at the scene by ambulance crew and taken to Raigmore Hospital
A pensioner in his 70s is said to be ‘very lucky’ to be alive after his car plunged into a river when he put it in ‘drive’ instead of reverse.
The man is believed to have accidentally driven his Citroen C3 into the water near Nairn Harbour in Inverness, the Scottish Highlands, at around 11am today.
Police, a coastguard team, the ambulance and fire service attended the scene after being called to reports of a person in the water.
Pictures show the white vehicle partially submerged in the water and dangling in the air as it is removed by a crane.
The white Citroen C3 pictured being removed near Nairn Harbour in Inverness, the Scottish Highlands, today after a pensioner in his 70s put the car into ‘drive’ instead of reverse
The vehicle seen partially submerged in the water, before its removal. The elderly man was reportedly taken to Raigmore Hospital after suffering from hypothermia
The elderly man was treated at the scene by ambulance crew and taken to Raigmore Hospital after suffering from hypothermia, reports the Inverness Courier.
Eyewitnesses said that the driver was ‘very lucky’ to get out, and managed to escape onto nearby rocks before being helped up with a lifebelt.
A Police Scotland spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘We became aware of a vehicle having entered the water at Nairn Harbour shortly before 11am on Wednesday, 27 January.
‘The male driver was rescued from the water and has been checked over by the ambulance service.
Police officers seen standing near the harbour as a crane removes the vehicle. A coastguard team and the ambulance and fire service also attended the scene around 11am today
The vehicle pictured from a different angle and seen almost fully submerged in the River Nairn today. Eyewitnesses said that the driver was ‘very lucky’ to get out
‘Recovery has been arranged for the vehicle.’
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: ‘We were called by Police Scotland to reports of a person in the water at Nairn Harbour at 11.01am.
‘Two appliances attended at the scene. A person was removed from the water.
‘The person was then taken into the care of the Ambulance Service.’
It is understood that the man drives to this location every day but went over the edge after mistakenly putting his car in drive.