‘I still have an interview!’: Man in China escapes sinking car after ride plunges into lake, swims to job interview

Man swims out of sinking car to attend job interview at high school

Most people might call it a day after nearly drowning — but not Mr Zhang.

A jobseeker in Wuhan, China, made headlines on Saturday (8 June) when he swam to shore from a sinking car just so he wouldn’t miss a crucial job interview at a local high school.

The dramatic mishap unfolded when a female ride-hailing driver accidentally steered the vehicle straight into an artificial lake within the school compound. Trapped inside the rapidly flooding car, both she and Mr Zhang had to act fast.

Ride-hailing car plunges into lake during rainy morning

According to China’s news media Jimu News, the incident took place around 7.15am at a high school on Huanhu Middle Road in Dongxihu District, Wuhan.

Mr Zhang (name transliterated from Chinese) was en route to a public service job interview when the car entered the school premises.

The driver, unfamiliar with the area and disoriented by poor visibility from the rain, mistakenly drove straight into the lake on the compound grounds.

As water surged into the car, the panicked driver confessed she couldn’t swim.

Thinking quickly, Mr Zhang calmed the driver and phoned emergency services. As the car began to submerge, he helped her climb out through the rear window and urged her to wait for rescuers.

But Mr Zhang wasn’t going to let anything stop him from chasing the job of his dreams.

According to eyewitnesses, he swam to shore while shouting, “I still have an interview!”

Both victims safely rescued, man made it to interview

Wuhan Fire and Rescue Command Centre dispatched two fire engines and 11 personnel from nearby stations.

When they arrived, they found a black sedan roughly 50 metres from the shore, nose-first in the lake. Only one-third of the vehicle was still visible.

The driver and passenger were clinging to the back of the car, crying for help.

Firefighters suited up in water rescue gear and swam out with life vests and flotation rings.

Mr Zhang made it to land with help from security personnel and bystanders, who threw him a lifebuoy. The school staff even handed him fresh clothes for his interview.

Firefighters reached the driver just before the car fully submerged. She refused to release her grip on her phone, saying it was essential for her job.

Rescuers helped hold the device above water as they brought her to safety.

Thanks to the swift response of the emergency crew and school security staff, both Mr Zhang and the driver escaped without injury — and, incredibly, both their priorities stayed intact: she saved her phone, and he made it to his interview.

Also read: SUV falls into lake in China, angler reels in car with fishing line to rescue driver

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Featured image adapted from Jimu News and @九黎司命 on Weibo.