Motorist hits pedestrian, plunges into sea in Jeddah

Cairo: A woman motorist has survived a car-plunge into the sea after running into a pedestrian in the Saudi port city of Jeddah, Saudi media reported.

The woman was driving her car on the Jeddah Corniche road when she lost control, hit a pedestrian and dived into the sea, Okaz newspaper said, citing preliminary investigations into the accident.

Rather than pressing the car brakes, the driver pressed the accelerator, increasing the speed of the vehicle that soon plunged into the sea, news portal Sabq said.

The woman and the pedestrian who was hit were hospitalised for minor injuries.

Traffic authorities hauled up the car jointly with the coastguard.

Both the motorist and the injured pedestrian were reported in good condition.

In 2018, Saudi Arabia allowed women to drive for the first time in its history, ending a decades-old ban on women driving.