A Cromer man in his 70s had a fortunate escape on Tuesday morning after his car reversed into a backyard swimming pool, setting off a multi-agency emergency response and an hours-long recovery operation that ultimately required a crane to resolve.
The incident unfolded just before 10.45am at a residential property on Foveaux Place, Cromer, when the driver lost control of a white Subaru XV while reversing down a steep driveway. The vehicle broke through a metal pool fence and slid in rear-first, coming to rest at a sharp angle with its back submerged and its front wheels still on the paved pool surround.
Despite the dramatic circumstances, the driver managed to free himself before emergency services arrived. He climbed out through the water, wading chest-deep to reach the pool ladder, and was helped out by his son, who had run outside after hearing the crash. Paramedics assessed the man at the scene and found him physically unharmed, though shaken by the ordeal.
Three police units from Northern Beaches Police Area Command attended, including Inspector Vanessa Robinson. Two NSW Ambulance crews were also sent, among them Intensive Care Paramedics and Supervisor Ree Lane. Fire and Rescue NSW crews from the Dee Why and Narrabeen stations rounded out the emergency response.
With the driver safely out of harm’s way, attention turned to the not-so-simple matter of getting the car out. Firefighters and police found themselves unable to offer a straightforward solution given the vehicle’s precarious position. After confirming the car was stable, fire crews handed the recovery challenge over to the owner and a tow truck operator who had come to inspect the scene.
The tow truck operator, from North Shore and City Towing, quickly determined that conventional methods wouldn’t cut it. He reached out to Top Gun Cranes, which happened to already be set up nearby at Frenchs Forest and was available for the emergency job.
The crane was repositioned to Foveaux Place and carefully stabilised on the street. Before lifting could begin, operators assessed the overhead wires and trees that complicated the narrow working space. There was also the small matter of who would need to get into the pool to secure ropes around the rear wheels — a task that reportedly fell to the younger of the two crane operators after a spirited discussion between the pair.
In a careful manoeuvre that threaded around the overhead electrical wiring, the car was hoisted clear of the water and held in place for several minutes to drain before being lowered back onto the driveway. The recovery was completed shortly before 2.00pm. Notably, because the front of the vehicle had stayed above water throughout the ordeal, the engine was still functional — making it straightforward to drive the car onto the tow truck once the crane had been moved clear.
No injuries were reported. The driver was the only person in the vehicle at the time.
Published 23-June-2026
