The drivers of two trucks were injured yesterday when their trucks collided at Butt Bridge, beside Tara Street DART station in Dublin. The crash took place shortly before 6 a.m.
One of the vehicles, an articulated truck with a 13.5-metre, box-trailer belonging to Nolan Transport, New Ross, Co Wexford, was left hanging from the bridge into the Liffey.
Its driver, a Welshman, had just arrived in Dublin by ferry from Holyhead, and was travelling along the quays when the collision took place.
The other vehicle, a truck belonging to the bakery Delice de France, was travelling up Tara Street on its morning delivery route.
Upon collision, the articulated truck crashed through the west side of Butt Bridge wall into the Liffey.
Fortunately it was low tide so the truck cabin was only partially submerged when it hit the river bed.
Dublin Fire Brigade, located just around the corner on Townsend Street, were at the scene within minutes.
Firefighter Mr Seamus Rowe went down quayside steps up-river of the suspended truck and swam to rescue the driver, who was lifted out of the water and taken by ambulance to St James's Hospital.
The driver of the other truck was also hospitalised. Both were discharged yesterday.
The suspended truck was left jammed between Butt Bridge and the river bed until after the morning rush-hour so that the removal operation would not cause further disruption.
By the time the removal was under way, however, the tide had risen.
Three recovery vehicles, including a 120-tonne crane, were required to lift the lorry from the river.
In December 2000, a Bus Éireann driver had a lucky escape when his vehicle crashed at the same spot as yesterday's accident. A homeless man who helped rescue the trapped driver was awarded for his bravery.
Dublin City Council said it had CCTV evidence of both accidents and it accepted no responsibility for the incidents.