By The Associated Press

SOUTH BEND — Two people were rescued Tuesday morning after being trapped inside a crashed car in a northern Indiana ditch, authorities said.

Hunters discovered the crash around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.

The occupants likely were trapped for less than 24 hours, the release said. The property owner believes the vehicle likely crashed after dark Monday and missed a curve while driving down a dirt lane.

The occupants of the vehicle said they were not sure when they crashed or how long they had been trapped, the release said.

The female driver suffered from several injuries, including a possible broken foot, it said. The male passenger suffered from multiple unknown injuries. Both were hospitalized.

The two were found conscious and alert, responders at the scene said.

Kathie Dhuivetter, who lives nearby, said a sand pit and pond are located near the spot where the car slid off the road.

“If they had went any further, they probably would have just drowned,” she told the South Bend Tribune.