Couple rescued by restaurant staff after driving into water at South Carolina marina
Confusion over directions led a tourist couple to drive into the water at a southern South Carolina marina, police said.
Restaurant employees jumped into the water to rescue the couple from their vehicle at the Isle of Palms Marina Saturday night, the city's police department wrote on Facebook.
Officials closed the the boat ramp until Charleston County Sheriff's Office's Dive Team could recover the vehicle Sunday, the Isle of Palms Police Department confirmed. No injuries or environmental impacts were reported.
Police said the employees at the Islander 71 Seafood restaurant and bar collaboratively rescued the two.
The couple, who were in their 60s, drove onto the ramp while confused by GPS directions after having dinner at Islander 71, local station WCIV-TV reported.
Bartender who saved couple was a former lifeguard
Islander 71 general manager Christopher Sollom, said one of their bartenders, Johnny Himmelsbach, used his experience as a former lifeguard to save the couple, WCIV-TV reported.
"Didn't even hesitate; he jumped right in and was able to pull two people out of the car before it submerged into the water," Sollom told the station.
Sollom said another employee joined Himmelsbach into the water while other staff alerted first responders, according to WCIV-TV.
"By the time that I got down here, it was completely submerged," he said. "So, that was a matter of 60 seconds from when someone got me upstairs to when I ran downstairs."
Coworker calls Himmelsbach's actions heroic
Islander 71 bartender Shannon Standhardt told WCIV-TV that he could not say enough about Himmelsbach's heroic actions.
"We as his friends and coworkers already know how special he is, but as a close friend and employee of mine he's truly an angel," Standhardt said. "He deserves all the credit from this. I can't say we will ever forget this evening and be so grateful that this accident didn't have a different outcome."
USA TODAY has reached out to the Isle of Palms Police Department for additional information.