A man suffered serious, life-threatening injuries Thursday night after his car plunged off a bridge in Washington, D.C., into the icy waters below during a snowstorm.
The driver was involved in a crash with another vehicle on the Arlington Memorial Bridge when his vehicle flew over the bridge's side railings into the Potomac River just before 7 p.m., according to DC Fire and EMS.
The vehicle sank quickly and was completely submerged by the time emergency responders arrived at the scene.
Divers extricated the man from the submerged car in just over 20 minutes, fire officials said during a news conference at the scene.
He was taken to shore and provided with “advanced life support” before being taken to hospital, according to authorities.
Divers carried out three searches of the submerged vehicle and did not find any other people inside it. Recovery efforts to pull the vehicle from the water will be delayed until daylight Friday morning.
Two people inside the other car involved in the accident sustained minor injuries, and one of them was taken to the hospital. That vehicle remained on the bridge, fire officials said.
The Arlington Memorial Bridge, which connects D.C.'s National Mall to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and is a major commuter crossing, remains closed Thursday night.
Officials did not provide further information about those injured in the accident.
