River search for driver of stolen car

A SEARCH is under way amid fears the driver of a stolen car that plunged into the River Lee may have drowned.

Gardaí have appealed for people to remain vigilant along the banks of the river, downstream of Cork city, after discovering the car submerged near Pairc Uí Caoimh.

A Garda spokesman said preliminary forensic examination of the car and its point of entry led officers to believe the driver was in the car when it hit the water.

“We believe the car was driven in, rather than rolled in,” the spokesman said.

The blue Volkswagen Golf, which had a 92 D registration, was stolen from Summer Hill North late last Friday night or in the early hours of Saturday morning.

It was spotted during low tide on Saturday afternoon by a number of rowers practicing on the River Lee. They informed gardaí who were quickly on the scene with fire brigade units.

“Members of the fire brigade went into the water and checked the car to see if there was anybody in it, which there wasn’t,” the garda spokesman said.

Gardaí then called in navy divers who came up the river in a rib (rigid inflatable boat) from Haulbowline.

They carried out a patterned search of the river, but failed to find any body.

A crane then lifted the car from the river, which was later taken to Blackrock Garda station where it was forensically examined.

It is expected the Cork city garda division’s search team will carry out a search along the river from the Marina to Blackrock today.

This is likely to take place from 3.30pm onwards, when low tide begins.

Gardaí have not had any notification of any new missing persons. Nevertheless, they believe there is a good chance the driver went into the river because the car was found in gear.

The driver’s side widow was open, which leads gardaí to believe he managed to get out. However, he may not have been able to make it to shore.

It normally takes between eight and nine days for a body to float to the surface.

“We are appealing to anybody who might have seen the blue Volkswagen Golf and somebody driving it to contact us. The car was probably stolen from Summer Hill North sometime between 5pm last Friday and 11am on Saturday,” the garda spokesman said.

Anybody with information is asked to contact Anglesea Street Garda station at [phone].