Coast Guard ends search after body is recovered near Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Divers recovered the body of a woman involved in a Tuesday morning accident in which a vehicle fell into the water in the vicinity of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel’s eight mile post.

Divers from Crofton Diving were able to recover the body from the vehicle involved in the accident and Chesapeake Bay Bridge Police confirmed that the woman was the sole occupant of the vehicle at the time of the accident.

The body was transferred to the Virginia Beach Police Marine Unit after it was recovered.

Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads Command Center received an initial report from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Police at 8:37 a.m. stating that a silver-colored SUV went into the water with two people inside, based on witness reports. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Police were later able to determine that there were no other occupants in the vehicle at the time of the accident.

The Coast Guard Cutter Beluga, two 45-foot response boatcrews from Coast Guard Station Little Creek, one 25-foot response boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Cape Charles and a Coast Guard HH-60 rescue helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C. were dispatched to the scene. Crews from Virginia Marine Police, Crofton Diving and the Virginia Beach Fire Department assisted in the search. A crew from the Coast Guard’s Regional Dive Locker East also assisted in the search efforts.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge Police and Virginia Beach Police will lead the accident investigation.