A driver trapped in the cabin of an oil truck that was surrounded by raging flood waters was dramatically rescued in coastal Kenya on Wednesday.
The man had been driving across the Galana-Kulalu causeway when the Galana river suddenly flooded and engulfed the vehicle.
The water had pushed the tanker on its side, smashing the windscreen and engulfing the cabin.
The man, who has not been identified, clung to the top of the cabin as onlookers watched from the shore, unable to help.
He was only saved hours later by a helicopter belonging to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation organisation.
Sheldrick Trust said the man had been trapped for hours when their operations manager in the area raised the alarm.
He was saved minutes later, it said.
Dramatic footage shared by the organisation showed the helicopter hovering just above the vehicle that was submerged in the water.
A rescuer who was strapped to a harness, grabbed the driver’s hand and helped him onboard the helicopter.
“It was only a matter of time before the river engulfed the entire vehicle. Onlookers watched helplessly from the shore, horrified but unable to intervene, as the current made any sort of crossing impossible,” the trust said.
It said that flooding was a constant threat during the rainy season.
Much of the country is currently experiencing rains that have caused flooding in some areas.
Source: BBC
