Lobsterman jumped from boat to rescue woman who drove stolen car into the ocean | US News
A lobsterman in Maine leaped from his boat to rescue a stranded woman who drove a stolen car into the Atlantic Ocean.
Police and firefighters in Portland, Maine responded to reports of a submerged car in the Casco Bay around 12.00pm on Thursday.
They arrived to find a Ford Mustang had driven off the Cutter Street Boat Launch in Portland’s East End neighborhood and was now sinking into the bay.
Both police officers and firefighters attempted to force entry into the sinking car, which was now submerged about 75 yards offshore in 50 degree Fahrenheit ocean water.
Meanwhile, a Good Samaritan on a nearby lobster boat noticed the emergency and leapt into action. The man was equipped with a diver and assisted rescuers in extracting the car’s occupant, the Portland Police Department said in a news release.
Police later identified the Good Samaritan as Manny Kourinos.
‘It was automatic—came to me what to do,’ Kourinos told News Center Maine.
‘I’ve been diving, you know, for over 20 years now, and never been in that circumstance where I had to recover someone from underwater.’
Portland Police Lt Robert Douherty called Kourinos’ actions ‘absolutely amazing.’
‘He risked his life without hesitation,’ the officer said.
The occupant, who was identified as a 33-year-old woman, was hoisted out of the water and onboard the Portland Police Department’s Marine 3 vessel.
‘The occupant was unresponsive without a pulse, but was later revived and transported to Maine Medical Center,’ the police department said.
The cause of the incident is still under investigation, but police did confirm that the sports car was reported stolen in South Portland earlier that day.
It is unclear if the victim will be facing charges related to the stolen vehicle.
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