Crews located a car that plunged into Philadelphia's Schuylkill River early Friday, but found no sign of the driver.
The car went off Kelly Drive, near the Girard Avenue Bridge, around 345 a.m. on Aug. 16, 2024, Philadelphia police and a witness said.
Fisherman Anthony Manduzio said he saw a car suddenly reverse at a high-rate of speed through a rope and into the river.
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He tried to flag down drivers to help out. He said he called 911 and got partially into the water in an attempt to help out.
He said he saw the car float from one side of the bridge to the other before going under the water.
"I didn't know what to do, I wish I could have done more," Manduzio told NBC10's Siobhan McGirl.
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Police said they had crews searching for the black four-door sedan. You could see an oily sheen on the water where the car went in.
The Philadelphia Police Marine Unit Dive Team responded after daybreak. They focused the search effort where the sheen was.
Shortly before 7:30 a.m., Philadelphia Police Lt. Shaun Butts said crews had located the car about 25 to 30 feet under the water.
Butts said the murky water made it difficult for divers to see inside the car. A wrecker would be needed to pull the car from the water, he said.
Even after the car was pulled from the water, the mystery continued.
"The vehicle has been located; however, at this time no driver or passenger has been located," police said in a brief statement. "The investigation is active and ongoing."
The reason for the car plunging into the river wasn't immediately clear.
"I don’t know what happened here. I don’t know if it was accidental, on purpose, I have no idea," Philadelphia Police Marine Unit Lt. Andrew Napoli said after the located the car with its doors locked. "It is a good distance from the road. So I don’t know what happened."
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