Mystery of car seen sinking into river
Dec 31 2007 by Paul Loraine, The Journal
POLICE were yesterday trying to trace the owner of a car seen plunging into the River Tyne.
Police divers found and recovered the Ford Mondeo estate, which sank near the ferry landing in South Shields.
No people were found inside the car and police are trying to establish how it came to enter the water.
Having been winched out of the river, the maroon P-registration car was taken for a forensic examination while officers tried to find the keeper.
It is not yet known how it became submerged, or whether it was occupied at the time.
The police were contacted early yesterday by a member of the public who saw the car going under but couldn’t confirm whether it was being driven.
Sergeant Dean Walter, from South Shields, said: “We received a call from a member of the public at 5.40am saying that a vehicle had entered the River Tyne.
“We don’t know if the vehicle was occupied at the time.
“Divers located the vehicle which has been searched and no body was found.
“We are making inquiries with the keeper of the car and we won’t be continuing with the search until we try to contact the keeper.
“The lifeboat, the police helicopter and divers were all present.”
Yesterday, fishermen working on the Tyne stopped to watch as the badly-damaged Mondeo – its windscreen completely smashed – emerged from the icy river.
A man working on the jetty nearby, who did not want to be identified, said: “It’s all a bit of a mystery. No-one is sure what has happened but it looks like it might have been driven in.
“You might expect there to be a body in there but the car might well have been stolen. I hope no-one has died as a result of this.
“The police have been working here most of the morning along with the coastguard pulling the car out. It’s all pretty bleak. Let’s hope there isn’t a tragedy behind this somewhere.”
Adrian Don, of Tynemouth RNLI, said: “We were contacted by police at around 5.55am and from there conducted a search up and down that particular area of the Tyne.
“We were looking for oil or fuel on the surface of the water and eventually we found a small stream of bubbles which gave us an approximate idea of where the car was.
“The police divers have managed to get out the car and our involvement is over now.”
Anyone with information should contact police on 08456 043 043.
