Rescuers smashed the window of a sinking BMW to save a woman who drove off a wharf in Auckland this afternoon.
Police northern communications Inspector Willie Taylor said a member of the public called police about the car at Fisherman's Wharf, Northcote Point, about 3.15pm.
The man saw what happened and tried to get the woman out of the car before police arrived, Mr Taylor said.
"She was inside the vehicle and was drowning."
Police officers who arrived at the scene managed to get her out by smashing a window.
She seemed to be "okay" and was taken to North Shore Hospital with minor injuries, Mr Taylor said.
It is not clear what led to the woman driving into the water, he said.
Glenfield man Erwin Kampos was fishing off the wharf when the woman's car rolled into the water.
"I just saw this car go straight over ... and went in to see if she was all right."
The nose of the car filled with water first so the woman clambered into the back seat, he said.
"It was deep and the current was coming in and the waves were pushing ... the car out further."
Two police officers arrived and helped to free the woman, Mr Kampos said.
"We started smashing the back windscreen but because it's safety glass, it's pretty hard to smash."
If the officers had been 10 minutes later, "she would have been gone", he said.
