A high-speed Audi car following Google Maps directions plunged straight into a creek in Belapur early Friday morning. The 29 year old woman who was driving the vehicle was dramatically rescued by coastal security police and Indian rescue academy team who were present nearby. The incident happened on Friday at around 1 am. The car was later retrieved from the water using a crane.
The lady, identified as Shweta Sharma from Kharghar was going to Ulwe and was following the Google map while it was raining heavily. "While she had to take the flyover at Dhruvatara jetty, she got confused and instead took the road besides the flyover which goes to the creek," said a police officer.
PSI Alankar Mhatre from Coast Security who was at the coastal security chowky below the flyover saw the speeding vehicle approaching the road the ends at the chowky. "He immediately called out to the car to stop but it was in high speed and went ahead and plunged into the water," senior police inspector Santosh Kane from Coastal security police unit said. When Sharma realised that she was falling into the water, she used her presence of mind and immediately opened the boot of the car. Hence when the car plunged, she came out of the car through the open boot.
"Everything happened in a matter of seconds. Fortunately out staff saw the incident and alerted the rescue team immediately. The Indian rescue academy team is always present nearby," he added. Amit Khaire, Sanskar Nakti, Shubham Patil, Prajyot Sanap and Suresh Chavan from the rescue team plunged into the water along with Mhatre and other staff of the coastal security unit. "The lady was rescued in a matter of 15 minutes," Kane added.
The police later called in for a crane that pulled out the car from the creek. Staff from NRI Coastal police too had joined the rescue team. The lady was rescued unhurt, said the police.
“We wish to clarify that the road under the bridge is not mapped for navigation in Google Maps, and our internal review confirms that Maps did not recommend a route through it.The only route Google Maps provides in this area is through the Belapur Bridge over the Panvel Creek. We built Google Maps with safety and reliability in mind and will continue to focus on delivering a high quality navigation experience to people everywhere," said a spokesperson from Google
