A WOMAN was rescued by fishermen after her car plunged into the harbour at Sandbanks yesterday.

Video by Alex Chisnall

Witnesses described watching a silver Volkswagen Golf being driven off the ferry slipway at more than 20mph shortly before noon. 

The ferry was on the opposite side of the waterway, close to Studland, when the incident happened. 

The car floated around 30 metres as passers-by desperately tried throwing lifebuoys towards the car and shouted at the female driver inside to get out.

The Coastguard, South Western Ambulance Service, Dorset Police and Poole Inshore Lifeboat all attended the scene.

Bournemouth Echo:

Picture by Poole RNLI lifeboat 

Eyewitness Philippa Lumber said the incident had been shocking and had left the 30 or 40 people watching the drama unfold feeling helpless. 

“She drove down the ramp at speed and straight into the sea,” she added.

“It is hard to judge, but it really revved and could have been doing 20mph or 25mph.

“We just all started shouting for her to get out of the car – it was horrible, but she just wasn’t getting out. She must have been terrified.”

Colin Hudson, who was visiting the area from Buckinghamshire, said: “The windows of the car were going up and down – it was like they were short-circuiting.

“Then a man on one of the boats dived into the water, but she rolled out of the window and was quickly picked up by people on the other boat.”  

Watch manager James Plumley, of Dorset Fire Control, confirmed four appliances were sent to the scene along with a further two specialist water rescue teams.

He added: “One vehicle had gone into the water and the female occupant, approximately 70 years old, had been rescued prior to the arrival of emergency services by a nearby fishing boat.

“The casualty was taken to Poole General Hospital for treatment.”

A spokesman for the ferry said the service had been unaffected by the incident. 

A spokesperson from the Coastguard said it is not yet known how the car came to be in the water. "This incident is still ongoing, and we don't know the whys or wherefores yet," she said.

"Currently, all we are able to say is that a lady driving a Volkswagen car managed to go into the water off the slipway. She has been recovered safely. The car was located 30 metres offshore and collected by a local fishing vessel. The Poole Coastguard Rescue Team and the inshore lifeboat crew attended. The helicopter was also scrambled but wasn't needed."

Shortly before 1pm a large crowd gathered at the waterfront to watch as the car was lifted from the water and taken back to shore.

A woman in her 70s has been taken to Poole Hospital and did not sustain any injuries but was treated for shock.