Vilhem Teli, an Albanian canoeing instructor, became a protagonist in a dramatic rescue operation on Wednesday when a bus plunged into a river in the Italian city of Turin. Speaking live on Euronews Albania, Teli recounted the harrowing details of the incident and his brave efforts to save lives.
Teli explained that he was in his office with colleagues when the accident occurred. Without hesitation, he and his team reached the scene within a minute and a half using a motorboat. He immediately entered the submerged bus to search for survivors.
“One of my colleagues told me that a bus was falling into the river, and we rushed outside immediately. It was 5:30 PM, and within a minute and a half, we arrived with a motorboat. Before the bus fell into the river, it hit three women who were passing by, but fortunately, they are safe and out of danger. It is unclear what happened to the driver, but people tried to get his attention. However, he did not respond and started moving backward until the bus overturned and fell into the river,” Teli explained.
Describing the tense moments inside the bus, Teli revealed that he managed to pull out the unconscious driver, but tragically, the man did not survive. Fortunately, no other passengers were inside, as a group of children who had been traveling on the bus had disembarked at a nearby museum shortly before the accident.
“I was on the second motorboat that arrived at the scene, and the first thing I did was check for anyone trapped inside. However, it was too dark to see anything. I told my colleague that we couldn’t waste time, so I entered through the broken glass. Inside, the situation was difficult—the water was freezing, murky brown, and visibility was almost zero. I saw bags floating, left behind by the children who had fortunately gotten off at the museum. They were around 12 years old, and it was a relief that they were not in the bus. Only the driver remained inside.
I knew someone had to go in to save him. I went in, searched, and found him near his seat, facedown and unresponsive. I pulled him out of the water, carried him to the back of the bus, and then we brought him outside. Once we got him on land, we began first aid efforts to revive him. He showed slight movements, but I couldn't tell if they were muscle spasms. The ambulance arrived and tried to resuscitate him, but after 40 minutes, they informed us that he didn’t make it,” Teli recalled.
Teli’s bravery and quick response in the face of danger highlight the importance of immediate action in critical moments. Though the driver could not be saved, his heroic efforts ensured that no one else lost their life that day. His actions serve as an inspiring testament to courage and selflessness in times of crisis.