Bodies Of 3 Women Pulled From Submerged Car In Newport
NEWPORT, R.I. (CBS/AP) — The bodies of three women were pulled Friday from a car at least partially submerged for hours in Newport Harbor after it plunged off a pier and landed on its roof, police said.
Newport police Capt. Fred Gonsalves told The Associated Press that the Hyundai Accent fell 6 to 10 feet into the harbor near the main building of the shipyard.
The car, which had Rhode Island plates, was in 4 feet of water when it was hauled out by a large crane at around 8:30 a.m.
Gonsalves wouldn't say if the women had been identified. He said authorities are still trying to determine what happened, though foul play was not suspected. There were reports of dense fog in the area overnight.
Newport police Capt. Russell Hayes told The Newport Daily News the driver apparently missed a right-hand turn. A dense fog advisory was in effect in Newport until 9 a.m.
"I'm not sure if they intended to take the turn here and missed it because it was dark and because of weather conditions," Hayes told the paper.
Gonsalves said the car was discovered at around 6:30 a.m. Friday by a fuel deliveryman. He said it wasn't clear how long it had been in the water.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Ryan O'Hare told the AP earlier that it had been in the water for at least several hours. Newport Fire Department Deputy Chief Frank Young said firefighters wearing wetsuits and goggles discovered the women inside the car in the shallow water.
The car went into the water near an area called the Travelift pit, the place in the marina where boats are lifted in and out of the water. Among the services the shipyard provides are dockage for luxury yachts and sailboats, as well as services for their owners, such as showers and workout facilities.
The shipyard is open 24 hours, and a security guard is posted at the entrance at all times.
Several sources tell WBZ-TV that one of the women was part of a yacht crew, and living on the 155-foot yacht called the Hyperion, which was why they were allowed to enter the shipyard.
Sources also indicate that on Thursday night, the young women attended a glitzy fundraiser in Newport for local charities called Give and Glam.
A spokeswoman for the shipyard referred all questions to police.
(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
