Two Kempsey teens lucky to be alive after accident on Beechwood Rd, Bain Bridge

A young driver and his passenger were shaken, but grateful for their lucky escape, after their ute flew off the road and sank to the bottom of the Hastings River.

Bain Bridge has once again lived up to its name, proving to be a nuisance to local motorists, after two Kempsey teens were lucky to escape a life-threatening accident on the stretch.

After a rainy few days last week, 17-year-old Flynn Kerr was driving his ute along Beechwood Rd with his 15-year-old friend at around 10.45pm Thursday night when the vehicle aquaplaned.

Despite abiding by the speed limit, the wet conditions caused the young driver to lose control and cross to the other side of the road, smash through the guard rail, and plummet into the Hastings River below.

Thanks to some quick thinking, both occupants were able to escape with only minor injuries.

Flynn rolled down the driver’s side window and the pair swam to safety.

Emergency services – including firefighters, hazmat technicians, paramedics and police – attended the scene, with the Rural Fire Service noting the boys “were extremely lucky to be able to free themselves from the submerged vehicle”.

Mid North Coast Police breath tested Flynn, who returned a negative result.

They noted both occupants were shaken but in good spirits.

There will be no further police action taken, and the incident has been ruled as a misadventure.

Mid Coast Cranes attended the scene that evening, fishing the ute out of the river.

Authorities are using the lucky escape to remind motorists to slow down, heed the warning signs, and drive to the conditions – especially along Bain Bridge and the bend leading up to it, which police have noted is “notorious” for these kinds of accidents.