French Uber driver found eating McDonald's in hire car submerged in iconic Hyde Park fountain

A 21-year-old French national was discovered casually consuming McDonald's while trapped inside a hire car that had reversed into Sydney's historic Archibald Fountain in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

NSW Police attended the scene at Hyde Park in Sydney's CBD at approximately 4am following reports of a vehicle collision with the fountain. Officers found the vehicle partially submerged, with roughly half the car protruding from the water.

Navigation system blamed for incident

According to NSW Police Inspector Anderson Lessing, the driver attributed the incident to his vehicle's Navman GPS device directing him to the location.

"Half of it was sticking inside, and half it was sticking out, with the driver still inside. Strangely, he was still eating Macca's there," Inspector Lessing told 702 ABC Sydney.

The driver, who operates as an Uber driver, remained uninjured throughout the incident and was transported to St Vincent's Hospital for mandatory testing as per standard police protocols.

Iconic fountain escapes significant damage

The Archibald Fountain, one of Sydney's most recognisable landmarks, sustained only minor damage in the collision. Inspector Lessing confirmed the structure remained largely intact following the incident.

"There's scratching and things like that, but no great structural damage to the fountain."

The fountain, completed during the 1920s by French artist François-Léon Sicard, was transported to Sydney and unveiled in 1932. It was established as a legacy gift from Australian publisher J.F. Archibald, whose estate funded the monument's creation.

Originally reported by ABC News