A woman was found dead Wednesday afternoon after a car floating in the Niagara River nearly crossed the falls, New York authorities said.
The identity of the woman has not been released, but she is believed to be in her 60s, New York State Park Police Capt. Chris Rola said at a news conference.
Authorities were alerted about the vehicle shortly before 12 pm. Rola said the car was floating in the river towards the edge of Niagara Falls. Witnesses told police they believed a person was inside the car.
An image from the scene shows the car almost completely submerged with the trunk open. The vehicle hung on rocks just 50 yards from the edge of the falls, NBC affiliate WGRZ reported.
“Due to the area where the vehicle was, our whitewater team was unable to recover,” Rola said. “We contacted the Coast Guard and their helicopter … went out and he was able to recover.”
the The US Coast Guard Great Lakes tweeted who lifted an unconscious woman from the driver’s seat of the vehicle who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Rola said the woman was driving the car. Authorities believe only one person was in the car and said he entered the river through an area between a pedestrian bridge and the vehicle bridge.
Investigation into the incident is continuing, including determining why the car ended up in the river.
The woman was a local, Rola said, but declined to name where she lived.
This is a story in development; Check back for updates.