Prague police find runner who saved officers from Vltava crash

Prague police have identified the runner who helped the officers after their patrol car fell into the Vltava. The rescuer turned out to be a Czech citizen, and police leadership will thank him in person in the coming days, said Jan Rybanský, a spokesman for the capital’s police.

The runner was found thanks to one of the officers: an acquaintance of his turned out to be a friend of this man. With that information, the officer approached Prague police leadership. “We have identified the rescuer, we are in contact with him, and in the coming days police leadership will thank him personally,” Rybanský said.

The accident happened on Saturday shortly before eight in the morning. Camera footage shows the fast-moving police car skidding on the tram tracks before the crash. The vehicle then swerved sharply to the right, narrowly missed three passing cars, broke through the barrier and fell from the bridge into the river. The car lost one tyre in the process.

Over the weekend, police publicly thanked the unknown “Mr. Runner” on Facebook. He helped the officers when they and their car ended up underwater. Police asked him to call the 158 line, as his identity was unknown.

The investigation into the accident continues: police are working to establish the causes and planned to question both crew members. The police spokesman did not specify which of the officers was behind the wheel and added that he would not give any other details for now.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz