Mom and son were trapped in a sinking car — 3 men hanging from a metal pipe risked their lives to pull them out just in time
Ordinary moments can quickly turn into life-or-death situations without warning. On a cold night, a mother and her son were trapped inside a sinking taxi after it left the road and drifted into fast-moving water. Three men rushed toward the scene as the car continued to sink, knowing there was little time to act. As reported by The Sun on Sunday, January 25, 2026, the incident took place in Russia’s Dagestan region and was captured on video that later spread widely online.
@independent A child was lifted from a sinking car, after it veered off road and plunged into a fast-flowing canal. Footage shows three bystanders scaling a beam and grabbing the boy from the submerged vehicle's window in Russia’s Dagestan region on Sunday (25 January). Shortly after, the mother was rescued and the driver escaped unharmed. Click the link in bio for more 🔗
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Eyewitnesses said the taxi left the road and slid into a fast-flowing, icy canal. The video showed the white car drifting through the water as three men carefully positioned themselves on a narrow metal pipe above the canal. One man lay across a circular beam to steady himself, while another, who had quickly removed most of his clothing and was only wearing his underwear, carefully shuffled along the pipe to help, as shown in the clip shared by The Independent. Inside the sinking vehicle, someone lifted the boy toward the open window. One rescuer reached down, took hold of the child, and passed him along the pipe. The boy was handed from one man to the next before a fourth person waiting on the canal bank pulled him to safety.
The rescuers then focused on the taxi again and helped the child’s mother, who was still trapped inside. She was safely pulled from the vehicle shortly after, while the driver also managed to escape unharmed. One of the men involved in the rescue was identified as Assadulla Magomedov, a trainee at the Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov school. The footage of the dramatic rescue quickly went viral on social media, drawing widespread praise for the men’s calm teamwork and bravery. Many people called for the rescuers to be officially honored, noting how their quick actions and coordination helped prevent a tragedy in the freezing, fast-moving water.
Heroic acts don't always come from heroes, as seen in another rescue operation in which a couple helped save two women from a sinking car. Lauren Alana St. Clair shared how she and her boyfriend, Ethan, noticed a car stuck in floodwaters and immediately rushed to help. “[We are] true believers in everything happens for a reason,” she captioned her video, explaining that they didn’t hesitate to act. The water was waist-deep, and Ethan carefully approached the partially submerged car while one of the women struggled to get out of the window.
After some effort, he lifted her onto his shoulders and carried her to safety, then returned for the second woman in the same way. “It was like nothing I've ever seen before. And my baby is a hero,” St. Clair added, capturing her amazement at his calmness and determination. Once both women were safe, Ethan even waded back to retrieve their purses from the water while St. Clair cheered him on, “Go baby, go baby go.” The entire event was recorded by St. Clair and shared on social media, demonstrating how courage and cooperation can make the difference between life and tragedy.