Elderly woman in waist deep water after crashing into creek

It was a ‘baptism of fire’ for the newly qualified SES vertical rescue operators when they worked to free a woman from Coffs Creek.

Newly qualified SES vertical rescue operators were on the job on Monday morning when an elderly woman crashed her car into Coffs Creek.

“It was a baptism of fire that’s for sure,” Coffs Harbour SES Deputy Unit Commander Martin Wells said.

“It was a challenging rescue. The car had gone down a steep five-metre embankment and was partially submerged with the woman in the driver seat up to her waist in water.”

The new recruits were lowered down on ropes and car cutting equipment transferred down so they could free the woman from the wreck.

They’d only just finished a challenging six-week course to equip them with the necessary skills.

It is understood the 80-year-old suffered a medical episode which resulted in her losing control of the vehicle.

A NSW Police spokesperson said the incident occurred around 9.10am.

“A red MG hatchback was observed travelling north along Taloumbi Road, Coffs Harbour, when the vehicle crossed to the incorrect side of the road, turned into Grant Close and came to a rest down a nearby embankment.”

It took an hour to free the woman.

Some of the new recruits pictured here during training were involved in the Coffs Creek rescue.

“We had a good crew together this morning made up of in-water flood rescue operators, vertical rescue operators and road crash rescue operators,” Mr Wells said.

On Sunday afternoon the new Coffs Harbour SES all terrain vehicle was called in to get to a man who had crashed his motorbike in the upper Bucca area.

The vehicle was purchased using funds from the Pink Silks initiative.