When someone drove an SUV off a fishing pier as the sun rose on Saturday in Virginia Beach, first responders shot to the scene in an effort to rescue whomever was inside.
The rescue attempt turned into a recovery effort, as police said conditions that day were too dangerous to pull the submerged vehicle from the Atlantic Ocean’s rough winter waters.
As of Thursday, the SUV remained at the bottom of the sea and whoever was inside it remained a mystery.
“It’s choppy and the current and tide, coupled with visibility, are making it difficult for rescue divers to recover the vehicle,” Virginia Beach Police Department Public Information Officer Jude Brenya told USA TODAY. “We assume there is at least one person inside including the driver, and anyone in the vehicle is presumed deceased.”
Brunya said police were investigating whether the incident was connected to a case of a man reported missing over the weekend.
But just who the missing person is remains a mystery, as police remained tight-lipped Thursday about the missing man’s identity at his family’s request.