UPDATE: 3 Women Found Dead in Car Pulled from Water off Newport Shipyard
Police confirmed three women died in the accident.
Update 12:29 p.m.: The Newport Police Department issued a release stating a fuel delivery driver making a delivery to the shipyard observed the car flipped upside and partially submerged in the water around 6:30 a.m. this morning. Three woman were found dead inside the vehicle during rescue operations.
There are no indications of foul play or speed as a factor of the accident.
The vehicle drove off the pier to a six to ten-foot drop into the water.
Update 11:14 a.m.: According to a report from WCVB.com, three women were found dead in the car pulled from the water near the Newport Shipyard. The report said Capt. Russell Hayes told the Newport Daily News that the car missed a turn early this morning and plunged into the water.
The identities of the women are still unknown, but the car is believed to have Rhode Island license plates.
Patch is trying to reach Hayes, who was unavailable for comment.
Original report
Newport police officials have confirmed a vehicle was found in the water off the Newport Shipyard Marina early this morning.
The incident was called in at 6:28 a.m.
As of 9:45 a.m., several police cars and a fire engine were on the scene, as well as a crane lifting a red car from the water.
A witness on the scene said three people were removed from the car earlier that morning, but police have not yet confirmed the number of people in the car or their condition.
According to reports from the Associated Press, three people were found in the car, which had been submerged underwater for several hours.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to Patch for details.
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James Wermuth
10:37 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
A believer in Mike Cullen's support of greater communication between city officials, NPD, and the greater public, this tragic incident might provide a case for evaluation. If news of this incident was made public through so called social media, twitter etc., anyone having information might have been able to shed a little light. Understanding that the NPD does not want to facilitate mob-response to events such as this, regulated release of information might well provide answers before those with information leave town, before hot information becomes chilled. A simple protocol to manage information publicly would facilitate solving such incidents, not impede.
Rich
11:44 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
Simple English, please?
Pat
1:26 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
Not the first time a car has gone off into the water down or around Long Wharf. The last one I remember was into the water at the curve next to Wyndham Inn.
Kevin Oliver
1:44 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
Rich what James is trying to say is that someone in the NPD opened their mouths when they shouldn't have and that's how the patch got the story before they were supposed to.
Cedar Poirier
2:24 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
I actually heard earlier over the VHF from the Coast Guard on 16 at 8:30am. Tragic news, a tragic loss.
KC1019
4:17 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
Why wasn't there anyone in the security booth or the gates closed? So sad!
Starfish
5:05 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012
KC - the shipyard is open 24 hours because some of the yachts/ships that are there have crew living on them. Also, the shipyard is a decent size with a massive shed right in the middle of it. Unless the security guard was standing in front of the car as it went over the edge it is highly unlike that they would have seen or heard the accident occur. It's very sad but there is no one to blame.
Anne Cuvelier
8:09 pm on Saturday, October 6, 2012
Newport Shipyard is a very organized well run organiztion, - the security guard does not follow each car after it cheks it in.. the path to the left would have been out of his sight...this is just a very tragic accident.. my heart goes out to the victims families and to the Dana family. Anne