DRAMA AS WOMAN PLUCKED FROM THE HUMBER
BYSTANDERS TELL OF MOMENT THEY DESPERATELY TRIED TO SAVE WOMAN WHO WAS CLINGING ON FOR LIFE
A WOMAN has described the dramatic moment she and other members of the public desperately clung on to a woman who ended up in the Humber estuary.
A Coastguard rescue helicopter as involved in a search low over Hull Marina and Fruit Market area, alongside other coastguard crews, Humber Rescue and Humberside Police.
Witnesses said there was a large emergency services presence, including six police vehicles, an ambulance and fire engines.
The incident happened at around 7.30pm on Saturday with reports a Coastguard crewman had been winched down into the water from the helicopter.
The woman was eventually rescued by Humber Rescue crews and was taken to an ambulance, where her condition is not known. But it was the quick actions of nearby residents and members of the public who helped police ensure the woman was not swept away by the current before rescue teams arrived.
One of those involved said: “There was a woman, I think in her 30s, ended up in the water around 7.30pm. I was just on the phone a few feet away from her. “A man nearby started removing the lifeguard float from its place. I was with two of my flatmates and they all ran to help him throw it in order to get her out of the water.
“There were two police officers trying to see where she was, shouting for her.
“The man went down a ladder to rescue the woman while the police officer, me and my flatmates we were holding tight to the rope.
“It was within a couple of minutes that more police arrived. But it was until 7:46pm that the boat and helicopter arrived.”
The woman has praised the man nearby whose quick actions she believe saved the woman’s life.
She said: “The first couple of minutes were crucial as the water current could easily have taken her away but the member of the public was very quick and didn’t think twice on putting his own life in danger in order to help her.”
Humber Rescue confirmed on Facebook that they managed to pluck the woman from the water.
The post said: “Paged to reports of a person in the water in the vicinity of Hull Marina. On arrival, we successfully recovered the person from the water and handed them over to awaiting paramedics.”
Humberside Police tweeted on Saturday night to praise the team effort in rescuing the woman.
The tweet said: “Fantastic team effort and partnership working from our team patrol down at the Marina this evening with officers going over and beyond to offer the assistance until Humberside and Rescue Service and the coastguard arrived.”