Viral Video Shows Ohio Police Forming Human Chain To Rescue Woman Trapped In Sinking Car

Deputies in Ohio proved teamwork can do wonders after a viral video showed them forming a human chain and rescuing a woman who was trapped inside a sinking minivan.

The police body camera video of the dramatic rescue was shared on YouTube Monday, where it has been viewed more than 20,000 times as of Friday.

The vehicle ended up partially submerged into the Mahoning River in Alliance after the accident. The woman behind the wheels reportedly fell asleep inside the moving vehicle, which caused it to barrel through a guardrail and fall at least 10-14 feet down into the river.

The officers responded to the scene shortly after 9.00 p.m. but the vehicle was almost filled with water by then. The woman had moved to the rear seat to hold on to dear life, Lad Bible reported.

The woman was unable to open a door and exit a vehicle due to huge pressure from the surrounding water. Officers were quick to form a human chain before smashing open a window, from where they helped her escape.

The video starts with officers walking toward the sinking van before venturing into the frigid water to form the human chain. The video shows one officer holding a hammer in a bid to smash the window, but starts to panic and struggles to breathe at one point. Another cop then helps break the window with the hammer and pulls out the woman.

The rescue operation was conducted after the woman herself dialed 911 to report the crash. She was reportedly taken to a local hospital with minor injuries and was released later.

In several earlier instances, forming a human chain proved successful for authorities responding to emergencies. In January 2019, at least five Chicago officers formed a human chain to save a man from drowning in the freezing Lake Michigan. A witness dialed 911 after seeing the man in trouble. The man reportedly went into the water to save his dog and got trapped himself after saving the canine.