The occupants of a vehicle that drove off a pier in Virginia Beach just before 7 a.m. on Saturday remain in the murky water submerged at this hour. Rough water has prevented divers and a salvage barge from recovering the vehicle and any human remains.
At 6:52 a.m. on Jan. 27, the Virginia Beach Police Department and Virginia Beach Fire Department responded to a report that a vehicle had driven off the pier at the oceanfront on 14th Street.
A video posted on social media showed the driver appearing to tap the brakes several times before appearing to drive off the pier. It is unknown how many occupants were in the vehicle.
According to multiple reports, the plunge was likely no accident as the driver would have had to drive over the iconic Virginia Beach boardwalk and drive through two gates before reaching the pier.
The vehicle is completely submerged under water.
According to the VBPD, due to dangerous water conditions including poor visibility, divers were unable to be deployed Saturday. Sonar has been used to try to locate the vehicle on the ocean floor.
Salvage equipment was delivered to the beach for a recovery operation.
On Sunday at 1 p.m., an attempt to recover the vehicle failed due to adverse water conditions that prevented the stability of the salvage barge. There is also concern for the safety of divers in the cold and murky water.
Additional recovery efforts have been postponed.
The VBPD and the contractor are reassessing and devising a plan for a safe and effective recovery operation.
Updates will be provided online via Twitter at https://twitter.com/VBPD
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Crystal Graham
