A tourist couple in their 60s drove into the water at the Isle of Palms Marina in southern South Carolina due to confusion over directions provided by their GPS. Restaurant employees at the Islander 71 Seafood restaurant and bar jumped into the water to rescue the couple from their vehicle. The couple had dinner at the restaurant before the incident occurred. The Isle of Palms Police Department confirmed that no injuries or environmental impacts were reported. The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office’s Dive Team recovered the vehicle the next day.
One of the restaurant’s bartenders, Johnny Himmelsbach, used his experience as a former lifeguard to rescue the couple. Another employee also joined him in the water. The general manager of Islander 71, Christopher Sollom, praised Himmelsbach’s quick actions, stating that he didn’t hesitate to help the couple before their car submerged. Coworkers described Himmelsbach’s actions as heroic and praised him for his bravery.
Islander 71 bartender Shannon Standhardt expressed gratitude that the incident did not have a different outcome and described Himmelsbach as an angel for his actions. The Isle of Palms Police Department has not provided additional information about the incident. The boat ramp at the marina was temporarily closed until the vehicle was recovered.
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