During this Easter weekend, 160,000 police and gendarmes were mobilized on the roads of France to enforce confinement, essential to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Among them, three police officers from Saint-Lô (Manche) on Saturday saved the life of a man, whose vehicle had fallen into the river.
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The police patrol was then assigned to the control at the station of the commune, "to check the arrival of the train and to see if people were in order at the level of confinement", explains to Europe 1 Dimitri, member of the patrol. After hearing an engine going up in speed, the three police officers then saw a small car, on the opposite bank, which skirted the quays, before sinking into the river.
"We are happy to have saved a life"
Without hesitation, Dimitri and his two colleagues jumped into the water. "We heard the impact of the vehicle in the water, and the vehicle was sinking, so it was starting to be dragged to the bottom," said the policeman again. "We took him by the arm and brought him to the rear roof of the vehicle, which was not yet sunk."
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The 40-year-old driver was quickly taken care of by the Samu and the firefighters. He was hospitalized in stable condition and is now in good health. "We are happy to have saved a life," rejoices Valérie, also a member of the patrol.