Police officers used an excavator to save a motorist from their minibus that became trapped in a flooded river in central China.

The video, filmed in the county of Zigui in Hubei Province on April 7, shows a minibus stranded in a rapid river.

After around 10 minutes, the excavator finally approached the minibus and the motorist was seen climbing out of the vehicle and getting into the arm of the digger.

According to reports, the motorist named Yang was about to drive across the river but the water level suddenly increased and washed his vehicle away.

Yang was transported to the shore by the digger and he was not injured seriously.

The video was provided by local media with permission.

4月7日清晨，
宜昌秭归县杨林桥镇连续强降雨，
致小溪河山洪暴发，
一名男子过河时连人带车被冲到河中央。
危急时刻，他们出手了！

“我连人带车被冲到河里了，快来救救我……”7日清晨6时许，杨林桥派出所报警电话骤响，一名男子急促地求助声传来。

所长谭楚问明情况，带领8人携救生设备赶到事发地小溪河边，只见一辆白色面包车被山洪冲到下游河中，在离岸边五六米的地方被一块巨石卡住，一名瑟瑟发抖的男子打着伞蹲在翘起的车尾处，咆哮的河水将他们包围，并不断冲击车体。

“快来救救我！”男子被困多时，体力渐渐不支，见民警到来，大声呼喊。

“不要慌，不要乱动，我们马上来救你！”谭楚一边大声安慰男子，一边带人尝试趟水前去施救，无奈河水湍急，救援人员根本无法站稳。

民警迅速从附近工地调来挖机，载上携带救生圈、救生绳的路长向建民、辅警彭敏等人顶着激流而上，司机一边用挖机奋力清理河道里的乱石，一边冒险艰难行进。经10多分钟努力，挖机缓缓靠近男子。此时，河水更加湍急，河水猛涨，男子落脚点越来越小。

彭敏见状，站在挖机作业台上，奋力抛出救生绳。男子一把抓住，将绳子系在腰上，司机迅速放下挖机前臂。在众人的鼓励下，男子小心翼翼地爬进铲斗，挖机收起铲斗，很快将男子救上岸边。

获救男子姓杨，杨林桥村人。当天早上，他驾车欲趟水到河对面，不料河水猛涨，激流接踵而来，连人带车被山洪冲出路面，跌到四五米深的坎下，冲出一段距离后，被一块巨石卡住。

万幸的是，在民警和当地群众携手救援脱险。因施救及时，杨先生仅受了惊吓，身体并无大碍。“谢谢、谢谢……”获救后，杨先生对民警和热心群众连连道谢。（视频由湖北台提供）