A man was "incredibly lucky to be alive" after his car flipped into a river near the Idaho-Washington border.

The 20 year-old squeezed through the rear seats and into the trunk of his two-door Hyundai Tiburon as chill, fast-flowing waters engulfed all but 6 inches of head room, creating a life-saving air pocket.

A passenger who had escaped was able to get his hand into an opening in the trunk area to hold the man's hand and keep him talking until rescuers got to him.

(READ the story from Reuters)