In total darkness, car rescuer Rune Lien was hoisted about 30 meters up the river by crane to rescue a car floating on an ice floe.
– I’ve probably recovered a car like this before, but that’s far from normal, says Støren’s car rescuer about the rare assignment at VG on Tuesday evening.
NRK reported the case first.
It has been a few hours since Lien was able to breathe a sigh of relief after rescuing the van from the ice floe on the Gaula River in Haltdalen in Trøndelag.
Earlier in the afternoon, an unfortunate 80-year-old man had swerved off the road and ended up there. Suddenly both he and the car were surrounded by water on the ice floe.
In case of need, both the surface rescuers of the neighboring municipality and the air rescue were called.
– We took a couple of firemen out onto the ice and helped the man land on the other side of the river. The driver was completely dry, shift manager Eivind Schjødt explained to 110 central in VG.
The man was not seriously injured, but was taken to Røros emergency room and later admitted to Innlandet hospital, writes the state channel
Police are currently unaware of how the car could have gotten there.
It was lifted into the air and towards the car
The car, however, was left awaiting recovery by Rune Lien at Støren’s car salvage.
The car rescuer answered the call he received about the car on the ice floe with overwhelming calm, and didn’t think much of it that he had to get there and take it as it came, he explains.
Lien estimates the car was 30 yards from where his tow truck and a large, chauffeured crane truck were on the ground.
During the more than two-hour rescue mission, Lien dons a harness and is lifted into the air and out of the partially frozen river.
While suspended in the air, the headlamp turns on.
– It was pitch dark, yes, comments Lien on the assignment.
I have the car on the ground
Once on the ice floe, he attached straps to the car so it could be lifted towards the ground.
– We had to drag him a bit before we could lift the car because it was so far off the ground, he explains.
Finally, it could be lifted.
– It turned out very well for everyone, so it was a good conclusion, says the car rescuer, who has not yet noticed the winter on the amount of assignments to a particularly large extent.
He explains that the roads in the district he travels on are dry and in good condition, so far.
– But don’t you expect many ice water missions?
– No, Lien says with a laugh.
