Driver Dead As Car Crashes Into River Above Niagara Falls
The Coast Guard attempted a rescue scarily close to the edge of Niagara Falls
A car crashed into the Niagara River, ending up incredibly close to the edge of the waterfall, reports ABC News. The wreck claimed the life of the car's only occupant, a woman reported to be in her 60s. Her name hasn't been released yet in order to give authorities time to notify her family, but she's said to be a local who lived nearby.
The U.S. Coast Guard attempted a helicopter rescue as the car drifted closer to the edge of the more than 150-foot drop. They lowered a diver down to the car where they were able climb inside and pull her out, but unfortunately, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Details are still scarce at this time, so it's hard to say exactly what happened or why, but currently, authorities don't believe anyone else was in the car with her.
Waiting at a scary scene at the American Falls. A car is in the Niagara River near the brink of the falls. No official word yet but it is believed to be occupied. Unclear how it ended up in the water. (See it in the center of photo just above firefighter helmets.) pic.twitter.com/XkXTvxvlWq
— Stephen T Watson (@buffaloscribe) December 8, 2021
Stephen T Watson, a reporter for the Buffalo News, was on the scene and shared what he witnessed in a Twitter thread. While we still don't know most of the details, you can see in the tweet above just how close the car was to the edge of the falls.
Hanging over the car. pic.twitter.com/ERXU1KRWic
— Stephen T Watson (@buffaloscribe) December 8, 2021
Additionally, here's the rescue diver being lowered down over the car as the turbulence from the helicopter made the cold water even choppier than it already was.
The car itself was almost entirely submerged, with only part of the roof and the opened trunk lid visible above the water. After the driver's body was removed from the car, it stayed about 150 feet from the waterfall's edge, leaving authorities to figure out how to pull the car out of the river.
This is a breaking news story and will be upated as we get more information in the coming days.