One 'L' of a mistake

13 years, 3 months ago - 15 August 2011

Driving for the first time can be a daunting prospect, especially if your route takes you over a river. Christina Ritter, 17, was having a driving lesson with her father Ralph near the River Enns in Austria when she made a wrong turn and ended up in a fast-flowing river.

She had just crossed a bridge when she swerved straight back towards the bank. The vehicle ended up splashing in the river and was pulled along by the current.

Ralph, a firefighter, contacted his colleagues who came to their rescue as they were now trapped in the river. A witness reported that the vehicle crossed the river but then performed a U-turn into the water.

"They'd gone over the bridge and for some reason the car did a U-turn at high speed and bounced down the embankment into the water," he said.