The woman was ultimately saved, and Virginia Beach Police noted that she and two of the good samaritans were treated for minor injuries at a local hospital.
Bystanders are being praised for saving a driver trapped in a sinking SUV in Virginia Beach.
On Friday, Jan. 16, four good samaritans were seen entering the water to rescue a woman inside the vehicle, according to WAVY, ABC News, Good Morning America and NBC News.
Virginia Beach Police confirmed to WAVY that they were alerted about a single-vehicle crash that occurred at around 1:15 p.m. in the 3300 block of Shore Drive.
In footage shared via the outlets, four people were seen trying to break into the SUV as it slowly descended into the water behind Bubba's Restaurant.
Onlookers could also be heard watching in fear as the rescue unfolded.
"The car started to sink, and then two of these guys, these citizens, heroines, just lifted this person out of the water as the car was gone," Bubba's manager, Dan Baker, told WAVY. "I mean, they just lifted this person out of the water. It was crazy. It was surreal."
PEOPLE has contacted Virginia Beach Police and Bubba's Restaurant for comment.
Baker said that he saw the SUV through the window after hearing a noise. Not long after, people on a nearby dock and one person eating at Bubba jumped into the water to help.
"Just happened to be at the right place at the right time," one of the good samaritans, Jeremy Way told WAVY.
The aviation rescue swimmer and 17-year Navy officer added, “I’d already been taking my phone and my wallet, my knife out of my pocket; and once I confirmed there was a person, I just dove right in.”
Way told the outlet that when he got to the SUV, the woman in the driver's seat appeared sad.
“I told her to ‘unlock it, unlock it’. And she was like, ‘No, I’m not unlocking it. I don’t want to be here,’ ” he recalled. “I told her, like, ‘We’ve all been there, just unlock it.’ She no longer could unlock it. She tried picking it with her fingers and tried to unlock the door, but it wasn’t working.”
While people on the dock tried to throw objects to break the glass, one of the rescuers climbed to the back of the vehicle and was able to break inside, WAVY reported.
After crawling to the driver, he was then able to get the woman out as the car dropped.
“The car was completely underwater,” Way said. “She finally came out, and I did what I’ve always been taught, some rescue swimmer techniques, threw her in a cross-chest carry, threw on my hip and swam towards the pylons.”
He added, “The other gentleman—I don’t know what he does or what he did—but he’s the real reason she’s there.”
In addition to the driver, all four of the men were also rescued.
Way told the outlet that he consoled and held the woman, telling her,“Everything happens for a reason; mental health is no joke.”
“We’ve all been there and got her out of the water; got myself out of the water; out of the boat; rather; and that was it. EMS took care of her after that point,” he said.
Virginia Beach Police told WAVY that the woman and two of the good samaritans were treated for minor injuries at a local hospital. The car was then recovered from the water later in the afternoon.