Woman screamed for help as car submerged in water

Hungarian woman screamed for help as car submerged in water


Inquest hears of tragic accident that claimed life of 34-year-old waitress

Anton McNulty
antonmcnulty@mayonews.ie

A HUNGARIAN woman who accidentally drove her car over the quay in Newport frantically called for someone to save her for 15 minutes before her car was submerged in water.
Edina Voros of Apartment 20, Liosmor, Newport, died ten days after she was retrieved from the water off Newport Quay on October 21 last. An inexperienced driver, Ms Voros (34) had accidentally driven her Ford Ka off the quay wall and could not escape from the car as it became submerged in water.
Witnesses who were helpless to save Ms Voros described how she frantically tried to get out of the car for 15 minutes before it was submerged and screamed ‘get me out of here, I’m going to die’.
She was eventually taken alive but unresponsive from the car by divers and survived for ten days with the help of a ventilator before passing away on October 31 in Mayo General Hospital.
Ms Voros had lived and worked in Newport since 2010 with her husband, Ferenc Orban, before they separated in March 2012. She bought a Ford Ka in October 2012 and had taken four RSA required driving lessons and was told to practice in her own car.
Mr Orban told the inquest they still talked to each other and explained that while on holidays in Hungary in October, she phoned him to say she purchased a new car. He described her as not a very good driver and she would forget to press the clutch.
Two to three weeks before the accident, he explained that she drove his car a short distance towards the quay direction but stalled the car when he pressed the brake. He said the car started to roll down a hill and he had to pull the handbrake to stop it. He said he had to drive the car back to her apartment.

'Bang and a splash"
The inquest heard that Ms Voros went for a drive in her car at approximately 8.16am and was seen driving normally by Jack Geraty who was walking along the quay at 8.27am. He explained that five seconds later he heard a bang and a splash and saw the car in the water.
He said he heard her screaming for help and tried to throw in a lifebuoy and also tried to get a boat but was unable to do so. He called to a neighbour to contact the emergency services and explained that when the car hit the water it went about 20-25 feet and the current took it out to sea. He said it was an ‘upsetting experience’. Diver, Peter McDonagh, said the car was pointing towards the river bed at a 45 degree angle but he eventually took Ms Voros  from the water. He said there was no response from her and from his observations it appeared to him that she tried to do everything to save herself.
The inquest heard she had travelled 1.2km from her apartment when she drove over a 11.5cm high kerb edge on the pier wall where she entered the water. Sergeant Gabriel McLoughlin, the Forensic Investigations Officer, explained that the distance between the edge of the road across the concrete to the quay wall was 13 metres and there was a 1.43 metre drop from the top of the quay wall.
In his conclusions he said it was not apparent what manoeuvre was being attempted that caused the car to enter the water but was satisfied that the condition of the vehicle or the surfaces travelled would not have caused the accident.
Dr Fadel Bennani, Consultant Pathologist explained that the cause of death was acute cerebral ischemia and respiratory failure due to drowning.
The jury recorded a verdict of accidental death and coroner, John O’Dwyer extended his sympathy to Ms Voros’ family. He acknowledged the efforts made by Mr Geraty and others and while they were frustrated they could not do more, they did what they could.

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