An Australian TV reporter rescued a man from a flood in Morayfield after his SUV began floating downstream, with the dramatic intervention captured live on air.
Will Murray, a reporter with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, said he contacted Triple Zero after seeing the driver enter the floodwater. He told the BBC that he acted immediately because he feared the man could drown.
“I saw him drive in, and immediately his car started floating downstream so I rang Triple Zero,” Mr Murray said. He added that the driver disappeared from view within seconds, prompting him to enter the water.
Mr Murray and a bystander, Daniel Hainey, first approached the vehicle from the passenger side but could not open the door. Mr Hainey eventually stripped down to his underwear before the pair swam around to the driver’s side.
Mr Murray managed to pull open the door and free the man shortly before the SUV sank beneath the surface. After the rescue, he shouted to those watching: “He’s all right!”
The three men later embraced, with Mr Murray describing the incident as frightening but expressing relief that everyone was safe.
“I just witnessed how quickly it can go south and it is terrifying. Please don’t drive into floodwaters,” he told ABC Australia.
Asked about his decision to intervene, Mr Murray told the BBC: “Better that you jump in and give it a crack.”
