A trainee bus driver lost control of her vehicle this morning, sending it plunging into the River Seine in southern Paris.
The incident took place in Juvisy-sur-Orge earlier this morning, with the learner driver reportedly making a handling error that caused the crash.
All four of the people in the vehicle, the trainee behind the wheel, her instructor, and two passengers, were pulled to safety and are unharmed, according to the Ile-de-France regional transport authority.
The parked vehicle struck by the bus was also dragged into the river, though fortunately nobody was inside it at the time.
TRENDING
Stories
Videos
Your Say
Bystanders rushed to help those trapped in the submerged coach before emergency services arrived at the scene near Quai Jean-Pierre Timbaud.
Juvisy's mayor Lamia Bensarsa Reda said she was left "stunned" by the accident.
"It's the first time I've seen anything like this. I think I've just experienced the worst day of my life," she said.
The Mayor praised the rapid response of emergency personnel, crediting their swift action with preventing any fatalities.
Both vehicles were clearly visible just underneath the surface
|REUTERS
The car has now been recovered from the water
|GETTY
"Luckily, there were no casualties thanks to the quick response of the police and emergency services," she added.
A substantial rescue operation was mounted following the crash, with photographs from the scene showing fire engines, specialist rescue boats and a helicopter deployed to the riverbank.
The scene drew considerable attention in the town south of Paris, with the vehicle clearly visible just beneath the surface.
According to a police source, the driver did have a D license, which is required to drive such a vehicle
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Divers worked on both vehicles as part of the rescue effort
|REUTERS
Local transport links have been heavily disrupted following the incident in the south of the French capital.
Mayor Reda said: "The challenge now is to keep traffic flowing smoothly and allow emergency services and the police to work in the best possible conditions.
"They reacted very quickly and were able to get people to safety."
An investigation is expected to be launched to determine exact cause of the incident as quickly as possible.
The parked car was slammed into the river in the French capital
|REUTERS
Emergency services are still the scene with a helicopter circling overhead.
One source told Mail: "Two boats are patrolling the water to ensure that no one else needs rescuing."