A 41-year-old woman and a six-year-old girl were lucky to escape serious injury last night after their vehicle rolled off Stokes Hill Wharf into the water and sank.

At about 9.00 pm the vehicle, a Holden Rodeo dual cab utility, was parked in the car park of the Jetty Restaurant. It is believed the woman placed the child in the rear seat and as she was standing outside the driver's door, put the car keys in the ignition and started it to turn the air-conditioning on.

The vehicle started whilst in gear and moved forward and rolled over the rock wall edge plunging a number of metres into the water. Two bystanders jumped into the water and pulled the child from the rear seat before it floated off and sank.

As a result of the incident the woman suffered a leg injury and was taken by St John Ambulance to Royal Darwin Hospital. The child and rescuers were not injured.

The vehicle remains submerged in the harbour and is expected to be recovered sometime today.

"It is so lucky this incident did not end in tragedy for this family and I commend the two rescuers for their courage, "said Territory Duty Superintendent Mike Murphy.


Media contact:
Sue Bradley
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