In the English Channel, this miracle bears witness to the day his friend's car fell into the water

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“The firefighters on the banks of the Vire told me that it was impossible to see anything in this muddy water but I always have a regret within me, that of not having been able to save my comrade from drowning. »

From theaccident that cost the life of his 18-year-old friendthe October 31, 2016in Saint-Lô (Manche), Clement Turgis keep one precise memory. Of those who leave their mark for life.

“We don’t really realize what’s happening”

“I was 19 years old. My friend 18 years old. He had just gotten his license. We crossed the Roanoke bridge near the cinema complex in his vehicle, a red Peugeot, says this resident of Marigny-sur-Lozon. When leaving the bridge, he went too wide. It didn't come quickly though. He hadn't consumed anything. The vehicle hit the right curb near the station and then reversed course to the left. The vehicle rolled over in a series and rolled into the Vire. It goes very quickly. We don't have time to see much. It's a bit like in a movie, you don't really realize what's happening. The body then goes into direct survival mode. »

The man remembers the water which quickly invaded the passenger compartment. “The vehicle quickly sank. In the rollovers, the windshield had exploded against the cement benches, remembers Clément Turgis. In this kind of situation, it is the survival instinct that takes over and helps you get out. What saved my life was opening my window before leaving. I had had an accident a few months before. And since then, I always had my hand on my belt. I was able to get out of the vehicle which was upside down quite quickly. I saw a halo of light. I came back to the surface. »

Save your comrade at all costs

The young man at the time did not ask himself any questions as he dived several times to save his friend trapped in the passenger compartment. “I tried to dive back in several times to try to pull him out and get him out of the water. I tried to stay calm to save my breath and stay underwater as long as possible. In such a situation, it's always difficult to keep calm, remembers the man, now 27 years old. There was no visibility. By plunging into the Vire, the vehicle had stirred up the bottom, the mud. The vehicle was overturned and it was impossible for me to know where my comrade was. I don't know if he managed to unfasten his seat belt. His body was found in the back of the vehicle. I was very lucky, I could have lost my life too. »

Ten minutes passed between the accident and the arrival of emergency services. The drowned man was brought out in a state of cardio-respiratory arrest by water rescue firefighters. Unfortunately he was to die.

Eight years after his dive into hell, Clément Turgis still has psychological after-effects.

“I still have anxiety issues. I'm not afraid of water, but I'm afraid when I'm not the one driving. »

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