With a spectacular action on the edge of the world-famous Niagara Falls, the US Coast Guard rescued a lifeless woman from a car that had fallen into the river.
In freezing cold, strong winds and snowfall, a rescue worker roped off a helicopter with a winch and pulled the victim out of the car, as the police and coast guard announced on Wednesday (local time).
Videos can be seen how the man with an ax in his hand is lowered from a height of around 25 meters, the passenger door of the car is opened and later gives the signal to be pulled up with the woman. This was said to have been declared dead on the spot.
The driver, whose age was stated to be in her late 60s, fell into the Niagara River by car near a bridge around noon for an unexplained cause. The road was slippery, it said. According to the coast guard, the dark car got stuck in the river only about 18 meters from the point where the waterfalls rush into the depths. Eyewitnesses saw the car in the water and alerted the police. This could not intervene because of the bad weather and the rapids. With a drone, however, she was able to determine that a person was in the vehicle.
"The Coast Guard did an incredible job," said Police Chief Christopher Rola in front of reporters.
“We have never had a car so close to the edge of the waterfalls in the river.” The governor of the state of New York, Kathy Hochul, also thanked the helpers on Twitter for their “quick and heroic action”.
In order to facilitate the rescue, the local power generator had lowered the water level of the river a little.
After the woman was rescued, helpers began preparations to pull the car out of the water.