A car is being pulled out of the Tauranga Harbour on Chapel Street this afternoon, after what a pair of 19-year-olds say 'was an accident” in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Many people gathered on the side of the road to watch the car being returned to land, which was submerged in water prior to the recovery.

The occupants of the vehicle, both aged 19, say a 'hydroplane” was 'mainly” at fault for the incident which occurred at 'about 1.30am” on Sunday, November 20.

'We hit the white line which was covered in water, and then we lost control and pretty much flew off into the harbour backwards,” says the driver.

'It basically spun us out.”

People gathered to watch the car recovery this afternoon. Photo: Taylor Rice/SunLive.

The pair say they were 'only going 60km/h ish” or 'about 10km/h over the speed limit” when the car lost control.

The passenger of the vehicle says the vehicle was 'completely underwater” after they crashed, and he was able to 'just open the door” to exit the vehicle.

The driver says he 'has no clue” how he was able to get out safely.

'I think I went out through the back. The car went down into the water pretty far.”

The car had the back windows smashed, and had harbour water pouring out of the doors. Photo: Taylor Rice/SunLive.

When asked about injuries, the 19 year old pair add there is 'just a couple bruises” after the event.

"Reckon it [the car] will still work?" one of them wondered.