Car in Niagara Falls rescue attempt went over brink
The Associated Press
A U.S. Coast Guard diver braved death Wednesday to enter a submerged vehicle stuck in rushing rapids just yards from the brink of Niagara Falls.
The diver was lowered from a hovering helicopter, climbed into the car and pulled out the body of its lone occupant, a woman in her 60s, said Angela Berti, a spokeswoman for NYS Park Police.
The woman’s fate wasn’t immediately disclosed by officials and it was unclear how the car got into the Niagara River.
Photos and videos taken by bystanders showed the car almost completely submerged with only part of the roof and open trunk hatch visible through the whitewater in the early afternoon.
Authorities said the woman lived in the area. Her name was not released pending notification of relatives.
After the rescue, the vehicle remained about 50 yards (meters) from the brink of the American Falls, one of three waterfalls that make up Niagara Falls. Onlookers watched as emergency crews prepared to try to pull the vehicle from the water.
Roads in the area were slippery as a light snow fell. Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021, in Niagara Falls N.Y. (AP Photo/ Jeffrey T. Barnes) 2021.Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — A car that was stuck partly submerged near the brink of Niagara Falls after a daring rescue attempt last week went over the falls this weekend and cannot be seen from the shore, state parks officials said Monday.
A U.S. Coast Guard swimmer who descended by a cable from a hovering helicopter pulled a woman from the car Wednesday. State park police said the woman, who did not survive, likely drove into the river on purpose.
The car was last seen in the churning rapids above the American Falls at about 9 p.m. Saturday amid rising water and heavy winds. The car was gone from the brink by daybreak Sunday when the water receded, according to a statement from the state parks department.
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The car was not visible amid the mist and boulders at the bottom of the falls.
“However, State Parks will continue to monitor for debris or visual impact,” the department said. “We will evaluate removal if we make visual contact with the car.”
