Toyota Hilux Gets Stuck During Water Crossing: Locals Rescue It Using A Crane [Video]

The Toyota Hilux is quite popular among off-road junkies and adventure seekers in India. Many take it to extreme terrains and do crazy action with the pickup truck. We often come across videos and images of these. Off-roading is a sport in which skills and awareness of the driver are of supreme importance. An unfortunate incident from South India shows a Hilux getting into trouble allegedly due to the driver being very new to the terrain, and later being rescued the hard way...

The video shared on Instagram shows a Hilux wearing 'Emotional Red' colourway, stuck in what looks like a wild stream. There is strong flow in the river, which also appears to be quite deep as well. The vehicle is so submerged that the stream flows over its bonnet.

We get to know from the comments that this incident occurred in Gudalur, Tamil Nadu- somewhere in the Nilgiris. People also say that the Hilux was from Kerala and was a brand-new vehicle.

Since the driver was an outsider, he had no clue of the terrain there. The ongoing monsoons resulted in heavy flow in the stream. This meant that the driver could not see the unevenness or craters on the underlying rocks.

The vehicle was crossing the stream when it fell into a dip in the rock bed. It got stuck and could not move anymore. The water flow strengthened further and the front part of the vehicle got completely submerged.

Another video shows the rescue operation. Due to the adverse weather conditions and the heavy flow in the stream, the only way out was by towing. A crane was soon summoned, and the Hilux was slowly pulled out of the stream using tow ropes. In the incident, the truck lost its front bumper and grille. It is clear from the video that this Hilux has taken significant damage. Water could have even entered the engine block.

How To Do Water Crossing The Right Way?

It isn't the case that the Hilux is incapable of doing river crossings such as these. This driver and his vehicle seem to have attempted it at the wrong time. When we are attempting something as risky as a river crossing, it is important that we possess ample skill levels, quick response times and good situational awareness. Moreover, we should be familiar with the terrain.

Before going in with the SUV or truck, you should be familiar with the riverbed, its structure and the strength of the current. Make sure to do a recce and assess the stream's depth, and direction and strength of the current with a stick. Analyse and reconfirm that the depth is within the vehicle's water-wading capacity. For the Hilux, it is 700 mm!

As a best practice, avoid doing river crossings in the monsoon. Sudden and unpredicted rainfall can cause the water body to swell rapidly, and can also tweak the strength and direction of the current.

While crossing the river, it is important to keep the right momentum. You shouldn't go too fast, as it could lead to spray, neither should you go too slow, which could potentially stall the vehicle. Finding the right pace requires good skill levels and a thorough awareness of the terrain and surroundings.

Keeping a close watch on the currents is essential as the same can affect the vehicle's trajectory.

In this case, very few of these steps seem to have been followed. If the driver had done a proper recce, he'd have noticed the crator which would get the vehicle stuck during the crossing. It is also possible that the driver originally attempted a different trajectory, but the strong currents in the stream changed its path and pushed it to the dip where it got stuck.