A teenager spent a painful 30 hours trapped in his crashed car in bushland until he was rescued by his father who hired a helicopter to find him. / Sunrise
A teenager spent a painful 30 hours trapped in his crashed car in bushland until he was rescued by his father who hired a helicopter to find him.
When Samuel Lethbridge, 17, didn't arrive at a friend's home on Sunday — and when he failed to reply to messages — his family immediately feared the worst.
As his sister Megan posted frantic messages on social media asking for sightings, their father Tony Lethbridge followed his gut instinct. And that ultimately saved his son's life.
The teenager was reported missing to police but by yesterday morning Lethbridge decided to hire a chopper to find his son. And he knew exactly where to direct them to search.
"An accident happened there about five years ago ... It stuck in my mind ... I thought, 'I can't leave him out there without looking.'"
Samuel Lethbridge is recovering in hospital. Photo / Facebook
The car was eventually found 20m down a bank off the Pacific Highway at Crangan Bay, south of Newcastle. By the time emergency services were able to reach him he had been trapped with broken bones for about 30 hours.
The first on the scene initially feared what they would find inside, but were amazed when they saw his head move.
Lethbridge was taken to John Hunter Hospital where he underwent surgery for multiple fractures, including a broken arm, leg and spinal injuries, as well as dehydration. He remains in a serious condition.
The crashed car wasn't visible from the road and was found after Samuel's father hired a helicopter to search for the wreckage. Photo / 7 News, Channel Seven
"He'd been there all night. No one could see him from the road, no one at all," NSW Ambulance superintendent Jeff Atkins said.
When rescuers found him they had to peel the roof back and cut the seats out to free him.
The car was so seriously damaged after plunging through bushes as it rolled that Lethbridge couldn't move inside because he was pinned under the dash.
"He was trapped extensively in the car from the waist down and was fully conscious through the whole ordeal," Atkins said.
Once freed, he was carried up the bank on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance.
"It was a very extensive rescue, very difficult access, difficult extrication of the patient, [we're] very lucky the young patient is still alive."
Sister Megan Lethbridge took to Facebook last night to say how lucky she felt.
"Counting my lucky stars tonight [Sam] is doing well so far," she wrote.
