Elderly women pulled from river

TWO ELDERLY women have been treated for hypothermia following a dramatic rescue after their car plunged into the fast-flowing river Ariège in Tarascon on Sunday.

According to emergency services, the two women, aged 88 and 82, were taken to hospital after the car they were in fell into the river, shortly after negotiating a roundabout.

Police believe the driver may have confused the accelerator and brake pedals.

The vehicle floated nearly half-a-kilometre down the river before coming to a halt. The current is so strong at this time of year because of the snowmelt from the Pyrenees that emergency services could not reach the couple and had to call for support from helicopter rescuers.

The couple were hoisted from the car to safety and taken to hospital for treatment.

“They were very afraid,” the officer in charge of the rescue said, “but they are fine.”

It is the second dramatic rescue in the area in just a few days. Late last week, a glider pilot was found in a tree in the Pyrenees after going missing three days earlier.

Picture: France 2 / screengrab