Video Shows Frantic Rescue of Florida Woman in Sinking Car That Plunged Into Canal After Driver Suffered Seizure

Dramatic video footage published to social media shows the moment a woman was rescued after her vehicle plunged into a canal in Boca Raton, Florida.

The Palm Beach County Fire Rescue confirmed one person had been transported to hospital after their vehicle went into a canal close to Military Trail and Camino Real. The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, according to the local media outlet WPTV.

In the footage, multiple people can be seen scrambling to help, swimming to a white SUV as it rapidly sinks beneath the surface.

One person in the impromptu rescue party was a local man named as Shawn Turner, who uploaded a video of the situation to his Facebook page on Sunday.

In the clip, Turner can be seen entering the side window of the vehicle and attempting to drag the driver to safety. "She's out cold," one person can be heard saying, amid rising concern that the car was quickly going under. "Get out, get out, get!" came another frantic call from a witness. In the background, witnesses called the emergency services.

The cell phone footage, viewed more than 7,000 times on Facebook, ends with what appears to be the woman being pulled from the car as Turner calls for a knife. The victim, identified as Molly Pedrone, told WPTV she had suffered a seizure while driving home from work.

"I'm so thankful for Shawn's help and the help lot the other bystanders," Pedrone told the news website from hospital, where she is recovering with black eyes from the impact her head made against the steering wheel. "I can't fathom what it would've been like without them."

Pedrone said the epileptic seizure came on without warning.

According to CBS12, rescue divers attended the scene, found the woman on the side of the canal, and confirmed no-one else had been inside the car when it sank. Images uploaded to Twitter by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue showed the vehicle had become completely submerged.

"As I was bringing my kids home, my son... looked over and said, dad, there's a car floating in the canal. I didn't have time to hesitate," Turner told WPTV.

"I had time to take off my pants and go in. It was a mission to get her out the driver's side window and out the car. I know cars don't float long so we needed to get her out of the car quickly."

On social media, commenters praised the man's quick-thinking response.

"Shawn. I am the mother of Molly, the woman you saved," one commenter wrote. "I just want to say how thankful I and my family are for you and the other bystanders saving my daughter. You are a true hero and we owe you so much." Another said: "Amazing and selfless! Great job!"