Lobsterman jumps from boat to help rescue driver from a car submerged in bay

Police in Maine say a lobsterman jumped from a boat into the water to help rescue a driver trapped in a sinking car

By means ofThe Associated Press

November 17, 2023, 8:39 AM

FILE – A fisherman on a tower scans the waters of Casco Bay, Tuesday, September 15, 2020, near Portland, Maine. Police in Maine say a lobsterman dove into the ocean from a boat to help rescue a driver trapped in a sinking car. Police in Portland say the car entered Casco Bay shortly after noon on Thursday, November 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Maine — A Maine lobsterman jumped from a boat into the water to help rescue a driver trapped in a sinking car, police said.

According to police in Portland, Maine, the car entered Casco Bay shortly after noon on Thursday.

Police and firefighters managed to force their way out of the car while it was submerged in water. The lobster boat was nearby. Manny Kourinos, who was on board, jumped in and helped pull the driver out, police said. The water temperature was about 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius).

“I’ve been diving for 20 years now and I’ve never been in that circumstance where I had to get someone out of the water,” Kourinos told WCSH-TV.

The 33-year-old driver was listed in stable condition after being taken to a hospital, police said.

Police are investigating and said the vehicle was reported stolen out of South Portland earlier in the day.