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| Diver tells how he tried to save elderly woman whose car rolled into river | Diver tells how he tried to save elderly woman whose car rolled into river |
| (14 days later) | |
| A diver has described how he tried to save an elderly woman from drowning when the car she was in rolled into a river. | A diver has described how he tried to save an elderly woman from drowning when the car she was in rolled into a river. |
| The woman had been waiting to board a ferry when the vehicle plunged into the river Fal at the slipway to the King Harry ferry near Truro, Cornwall, at about 4pm on Wednesday. | The woman had been waiting to board a ferry when the vehicle plunged into the river Fal at the slipway to the King Harry ferry near Truro, Cornwall, at about 4pm on Wednesday. |
| The body of the woman was recovered two hours later by the emergency services following a search and rescue operation involving police, divers, fire crews, coastguard and staff from RNAS Culdrose. | The body of the woman was recovered two hours later by the emergency services following a search and rescue operation involving police, divers, fire crews, coastguard and staff from RNAS Culdrose. |
| Matt Vernon, a diver, said he tried to rescue the woman but could not reach her. "It was really murky down there," he told the Daily Mail. "The river is very deep, around 80ft. The car was down at around 25ft. | Matt Vernon, a diver, said he tried to rescue the woman but could not reach her. "It was really murky down there," he told the Daily Mail. "The river is very deep, around 80ft. The car was down at around 25ft. |
| "At one point I got down to one side and noticed the window was wide open so the car was completely flooded and I couldn't get in it because of the depth and the cold." | "At one point I got down to one side and noticed the window was wide open so the car was completely flooded and I couldn't get in it because of the depth and the cold." |
| In a statement, the operators of the King Harry ferry said the car went into the water when the ferry was at the Feock side of the river. | In a statement, the operators of the King Harry ferry said the car went into the water when the ferry was at the Feock side of the river. |
| "The emergency services were called immediately," the statement said. "Just after 6pm the emergency services pulled the car from the water. Tragically, they recovered the body of an elderly lady. Our heartfelt thoughts go out to the friends and family of everyone involved in this tragedy." | "The emergency services were called immediately," the statement said. "Just after 6pm the emergency services pulled the car from the water. Tragically, they recovered the body of an elderly lady. Our heartfelt thoughts go out to the friends and family of everyone involved in this tragedy." |
| A Devon and Cornwall police spokesman said the elderly female passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. He said: "The male driver was not in the vehicle at the time of the car entering the water and is unharmed at this time. | A Devon and Cornwall police spokesman said the elderly female passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. He said: "The male driver was not in the vehicle at the time of the car entering the water and is unharmed at this time. |
| "Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward with any information and especially those in vehicles that were present at the time of this unfortunate accident." | "Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward with any information and especially those in vehicles that were present at the time of this unfortunate accident." |
| A spokeswoman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the search involved Falmouth and Portscatho Coastguard rescue teams, RNLI lifeboats from Falmouth and the Royal Navy search and rescue helicopter from Culdrose. | A spokeswoman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the search involved Falmouth and Portscatho Coastguard rescue teams, RNLI lifeboats from Falmouth and the Royal Navy search and rescue helicopter from Culdrose. |
| She said: "Divers went on scene to help locate the vehicle underwater and, while search and rescue teams continued a search of the water and shoreline, fire and rescue units winched the vehicle out of the water. | She said: "Divers went on scene to help locate the vehicle underwater and, while search and rescue teams continued a search of the water and shoreline, fire and rescue units winched the vehicle out of the water. |
| "The lady occupant of the vehicle was recovered from within the car at 6pm and was transferred to hospital by helicopter." | "The lady occupant of the vehicle was recovered from within the car at 6pm and was transferred to hospital by helicopter." |
| The King Harry ferry connects St Mawes and the Roseland Peninsula with Feock, Truro and Falmouth and is an alternative route to a 27-mile journey through Truro and Tresillian. It has been operating since 1888. | The King Harry ferry connects St Mawes and the Roseland Peninsula with Feock, Truro and Falmouth and is an alternative route to a 27-mile journey through Truro and Tresillian. It has been operating since 1888. |
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