Locals save woman in dramatic Hawkesbury River rescue caught on camera

Two men have saved a woman’s life in a dramatic rescue after a medical emergency sent her car careening into the dark water.

Two men have saved a woman’s life in a dramatic rescue on NSW’s Hawkesbury River, after a medical emergency sent her car careening off the road and into the deep waters.

In a viral video of the incident posted to TikTok, the woman’s white car can be seen floating in the surging Hawkesbury River, where it has nosedived after running off the nearby Singleton Road in Wiseman’s Ferry, north of Sydney.

The woman, who is clearly distressed, hangs out of a front window, clutching the frame for support to keep herself above water. The top of the car is smashed and caved in, the victim of a nasty fall through the heavily forested riverbank.

The woman can be see hanging out of one of the side windows, clutching the frame for support. Picture: TikTok

The top of the car is smashed and caved in. Picture: TikTok

Towards the start of the video, seemingly unaware cars can be seen travelling along the same road, some just two metres higher than the waters edge and partially concealed by heavy shrubbery.

“Which direction did you come from? We’ll come over and get you, just stay there,” one of the men says in video footage of the rescue.

“No, just stay there. Stay there, stay there,” he urges, as the woman struggles to get free.

“He’s coming. Are you the only one in it (the car)? … Are you OK?” the other man asks.

The dramatic Hawkesbury River rescue has gone viral. Picture: TikTok

The woman’s car came careening off Singleton Rd after a medical episode. Picture: Google Maps

The woman shakes her head.

As their boat inches closer to the submerged car, one of the men pulls the injured woman onto its stern.

The car instantly sinks bonnet-first into the deep currents, quickly subsumed by the dark water.

The woman had a medical episode which caused her to run off the road, the person who posted the video said. “She recovered well,” they added.

The car plunges into the river. Picture: TikTok

It is quickly subsumed. Picture: TikTok

Commenters on the clip, which has been viewed more than 920,000 times, heralded the men as heroes.

“The whole time I just figured the car was resting on the bottom … until it sunk,” one said of the dramatic final moment.

“You did really well and did test rescue with care and no panic, well done,” wrote another.

“AWESOME work! You saved her life, and just in time! Thank you,” commended a third.