A DRIVER was pulled to safety from the River Ness by a daring fire and rescue crew when his car plunged into the water outside Inverness Cathedral.
The elderly man became trapped when his car appeared to skid out of control and went into the river just after 10am yesterday.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service personnel based at Inverness Community Fire Station responded to the alert, and used new specialist gear to free the man and help him to safety.
He was taken to Raigmore Hospital for treatment. He is believed to have sustained minor injuries and was suffering from shock.
It is the first time that the crew had used the swiftwater rescue capability equipment, which was only brought into service last month.
Area manager Scott Hay said: "SFRS operational crews with specialist water rescue skills responded from Inverness Community Fire Station to this emergency and rescued the occupant of the vehicle.
"Working in partnership with colleagues from Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service, the scene was made safe and the injured person was taken to hospital."
The swiftwater rescue capability was officially launched by chief officer Alasdair Hay in Inverness on August 28.
Mr Hay said that the operation had been the perfect test of the equipment being put into action.
He added: "This was an excellent example of how professional SFRS personnel with specialist skills are able to respond to emergency requests and assist members of the community."
SFRS's director of service delivery in the North and assistant chief officer Robert Scott said: "The incident has clearly shown the benefit of having an enhanced water rescue capability in the Inverness area.
"Our team were quickly able to assist the occupant of the car to safety and no lives were lost. This specialist team only went live last month and it is already proving to be an excellent example of specialist resources being placed across Scotland where they are most needed."
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