Updated October 22, 2026 — 12:14pm,first published 12:02pm

A Brisbane-based ABC reporter and another bystander rescued a man from a sinking four-wheel-drive that stalled on a flooded road north of the Queensland capital.

Journalist Will Murray was reporting on south-east Queensland’s heavy downpours on Thursday morning when he saw the 4WD attempt to drive over flooded Buchanan Road at Morayfield.

The vehicle stalled and started to sink, at which point Murray and a bystander swam out to remove the driver from the vehicle.

ABC footage shows Murray and the other man freeing the driver just as the 4WD went underwater.

Murray said he and camera operator Liz Pickering had just arrived to film the flooded road when a man in a black ute drove straight past them into the water.

“His car almost immediately started floating and drifting down the creek,” he said.

The journalist called emergency services, but they could see the ute would soon be underwater.

“This guy didn’t seem to be able to get out of the car, so myself and another man made the decision to jump in and get over to him to see if we could open the door,” Murray said.

He said the water was not difficult to swim through, and there was not a heavy current.

When they reached the vehicle, the driver’s side door would not open.

“We could see he was struggling, the water was very high. I went around the other side and managed to put my feet up against the side of the car and we dragged him out,” Murray said.

“His car just disappeared within a couple of minutes of getting out. You could no longer see the car – [it] completely vanished.”

The rescued man spoke to paramedics and police at the scene, but was not taken to hospital.

Bureau of Meteorology rain gauges showed 249 millimetres had fallen in Morayfield in the 24 hours to midday.

In a statement, the ABC said: “Will showed great courage and initiative. We are pleased to confirm he is safe and well.”

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