(CNN) – New York State Park Police said Wednesday that a woman was pulled from a submerged car in running water near the edge of Niagara Falls.
Police say an unidentified 60-year-old local woman was pulled from a car by a rescue swimmer who was hanging from a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter about 50 meters from the falls.
New York State Park Police Capt. Chris Rolla told a news conference, “No vehicle in our waters has ever been this close.
Today we are suffering the loss of one life.
We appreciate the readiness and courage shown by our team today at the height of 80 feet. Loaded from submerged vehicle about 20 yards from the top of Niagara Falls in bad weather. “We are here for them # Always ready. ” #USCG
– USCG Great Lakes (@USCGGreatLakes) December 9, 2021
The woman was traveling in a car, and witnesses saw it floating in the river, Rola said.
Investigators believe the vehicle fell into a river between a pedestrian and a vehicle bridge, but the circumstances that led to the incident are not clear.
The Coast Guard was stopped because police could not successfully recover, Rola said. Drones were also used to detect if there were more occupants in the vehicle and to obtain license plate information, he said.
