Body Found in Niagara River After Vehicle Plunged Into Upper Rapids

UPDATE

New York State Park Police confirmed late Tuesday morning that a body was recovered from the Niagara River following Monday’s incident in which a Jeep pickup-style truck was seen driving into the upper rapids. Officials say the discovery prompted them to call off the large-scale search effort that had stretched through the day Monday.

Authorities said the body is believed to be connected to the Jeep that entered the river, though the official identification of the victim and the cause of the accident remain under investigation.

According to Park Police, the initial call came in around 9:15am Monday when a witness reported seeing a Jeep drive off the Niagara Scenic Parkway near the Water Fowl Bird Viewing Overlook and into the river. Multiple agencies, including State Park Police, Niagara Falls Police, and the Niagara Falls Fire Department, responded to the scene and launched a search effort for the vehicle and any possible occupants.

The response involved drones, a State Park Police rescue boat equipped for swift-water operations, a State Police helicopter, Underwater Dive Team members, and officers conducting shoreline searches. By late Monday morning, at approximately 10:45am, the Park Police marine unit located a submerged vehicle about 50 feet from shore. Recovery efforts were complicated by the dangerous currents that quickly pull toward the Falls.

The New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Underwater Recovery Team are now working alongside Park Police to determine the safest method for removing the vehicle from the river.

Investigators believe the driver may have been a local resident but have not yet released a name. The investigation into how and why the vehicle entered the river remains ongoing.

ORIGINAL STORY

Authorities spent much of Monday searching the Niagara River after a vehicle was reported to have driven into the upper rapids from the Niagara Scenic Parkway.

Calls to 911 came in around 9:20am about a Jeep-style pickup entering the water near the bird overlook, east of the Old Stone Chimney. Witnesses told police they saw the male driver leave the vehicle after it entered the river and attempt to swim in the turbulent waters. He never made it to shore.

Multiple agencies responded including New York State Park Police, State Police, Niagara Falls Police and Fire, who immediately launched a large-scale search by air, land, and water. Resources included drones, a State Park Police rescue vessel, a State Police aviation unit, and underwater dive teams. Officers were also stationed along the shoreline to assist.

By 10:49am, the Park Police Marine unit located a submerged vehicle about 50 feet from shore in the same area it was last seen. State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation officers, along with the Underwater Recovery Team, assessed how to access and remove the vehicle safely.

While the truck has been found, no sign of the driver has been confirmed. Officials said the investigation into the circumstances of the incident remains ongoing. State Park Police, working with State Police and Niagara Falls city departments, continued the search into the afternoon hours.

Authorities are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact New York State Park Police at (716) 278-1777.

Body Found in Niagara River After Vehicle Plunged Into Upper Rapids