VILNIUS — A young couple crashed their car off the Mindaugas Bridge and into the Neris River around 8 p.m. Thursday night. Both escaped the car and have no major injuries.
Paulius Radvilavičius, spokesperson for the Vilnius police said the couple crashed their car, a purple Honda Civic, after missing the bridge and driving straight into the river. While submerged, the man, 23, broke open a window in order to escape. Although he damaged his arm, the two escaped successfully and swam to shore.
The two were taken to a nearby hospital after emerging from the water.
Because the car was sequestered in an difficult spot in the river, underneath the bridge and in an area with strong current, police and rescue could not immediately excavate the destroyed vehicle. The car was finally dredged from the river at noon on Friday.
Police are still trying to determine the precise reason for the accident.
“Police have a reason to suspect that the driver was drunk, but this fact isn’t confirmed officialy,” Radvilavičius told Baltic Reports. “Under our procedures and regulations we have to wait for the official conclusion of the experts.”