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Crash victims rescued from alligator-infested canal after vehicle plunges into water in Florida

Posted at 5:09 AM, Sep 25, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-25 07:00:28-04

Three people were rescued, included two from a canal filled with alligators, after their vehicle plunged into the body of water Sunday night in South Bay. 

At 7:55 p.m. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue crews responded to reports of a vehicle in a canal near the 100 block of NW First Ave.

When crews arrived, they found one patient already on the banks of a canal under care of sheriff's deputies.

Firefighters were informed by the deputies that there may still be multiple victims inside the vehicle that was in the water.

Rescue divers went into the canal using ladders on the steep bank and saved two patients from the water.

During dive operations, Fire Rescue Capt. Albert Borroto said several alligators were spotted and deputies maintained a visual on them for the safety of the divers.

Borroto said in a written statement that "at one point (the alligators) were within 100 feet of the divers."

Three patients were transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries.