Footage shows an Australian TV reporter and a bystander pulling a driver from a sinking car seconds before it vanished under floodwater.
Story Snapshot
- Video and eyewitness accounts show the rescue as the vehicle was about to go under.
- ABC camera operator Liz Pickering says the two rescuers saved the man’s life.
- The incident happened on Buchanan Road in Morayfield during heavy flooding.
- Queensland officials warn people to stay out of floodwater due to deadly risks.
Video-Captured Rescue In Rising Floodwater
On October 22, video captured ABC reporter Will Murray and another man reaching a four-wheel-drive stuck in floodwater on Buchanan Road in Morayfield, north of Brisbane. The vehicle stalled and began to sink. The two men helped the driver escape just before the car went fully under, according to reports and shared footage. ABC camera operator Liz Pickering filmed the scene. She later said the pair’s actions saved the driver’s life as the water swallowed the vehicle.
Reuters and local outlets described how the men swam to the vehicle as it dipped lower in the current. Murray later explained he handed his phone to Pickering, entered the water, tried a door, then forced open the rear passenger door. He said they guided the driver toward shallower water and safety. Reports consistently place the event on Buchanan Road in Morayfield, matching what the video appears to show on scene.
What Murray And Witnesses Described
Murray gave a first-hand account that matches the visual record. He said he tried to open a door, then forced the rear door, and helped the driver out. Pickering, who filmed the entire sequence, identified Murray as one rescuer and praised both men for acting fast as the vehicle sank. Several outlets reported the same core facts and noted the car went under moments after the extraction, underscoring how tight the timing was.
Reports also note an unnamed bystander worked with Murray during the rescue. Coverage does not identify that person by name, and the driver has not been identified in reporting to date. The shared accounts focus on the extraction and the rapid submersion of the vehicle. Officials had warned residents to avoid flooded areas amid heavy rain totals around Morayfield that day, which made the scene especially dangerous for all involved.
Public Safety Warnings And Broader Risk
Queensland safety guidance repeats a clear rule: never drive, walk, or swim in floodwater. State materials say floodwater is the leading cause of flood deaths in Queensland, and that driving into it is the top cause of flood-related fatalities. Even shallow, fast water can move a vehicle. Debris, broken roads, and hidden drop-offs also raise the danger for rescuers and drivers alike during storms and flash floods.
An Australian television reporter and a bystander pulled a man from his car moments before it disappeared beneath floodwater north of Brisbane on Thursday.
ABC journalist Will Murray was covering the floods in Queensland when a four-wheel drive stalled in deep water and began to… pic.twitter.com/M5ZL8Vr5be
— AnewZ (@Anewz_tv) October 22, 2026
This rescue highlights a familiar pattern. A routine drive becomes a life-threatening event when water covers a road. Then seconds matter. Professional responders urge people to stay out of floodwater and call for help. Yet, as shown in Morayfield, nearby people sometimes act before crews can arrive. Officials stress prevention first: check road closures, obey signs, and turn around if a road is flooded. That single choice often decides life or death.
Sources:
youtube.com, abc.net.au, news.com.au, perthnow.com.au, qld.gov.au
