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Couple in their 70s rescued after car crashes into Long Island canal

Posted at 10:54 AM, Oct 21, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-21 10:54:57-04

Good Samaritans and authorities rescued a couple in their 70s whose vehicle crashed into a Long Island canal following a collision with another vehicle Monday.

Police say it happened when a Ford pickup truck and a Subaru were involved in a motor vehicle crash at Venetian Promenade and Montauk Highway in Suffolk County, New York. When the Subaru backed up following the crash, police say it collided with a Mercury.

The Mercury crashed through a fence and fell into a canal.

Video shows the moment the car was partially submerged in the water.

Five good Samaritans and two Suffolk County police officers jumped into the water to rescue the couple.

Joseph Abitabile, 78, was driving the Mercury. He was rescued from the vehicle, along with his wife, Delores, 76, who was unconscious.

An off-duty Lake Success police officer administered CPR, restoring the woman's pulse and breathing back to normal.

The Abitabiles, one good Samaritan, the two Suffolk County officers and the driver of the Subaru were taken to a local hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the Ford was not injured.

This story was originally published by Corey Crockett at WPIX.