VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A car remains in the ocean, 17 feet deep, days after someone drove off the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier.
Virginia Beach police haven't said who was in the car or why they drove into the water.
On Monday, Sgt. Brian Ricardo with the Virginia Beach Police Department Special Operation Unit gave 13News Now an update on where the recovery effort stands.
Sgt. Ricardo explained that crews must operate carefully to preserve evidence as the car is technically a crime scene. He said rough ocean conditions have played a part in the delay. When crews first got to the scene Saturday morning, they faced currents up to 3.9 knots and couldn’t dive, according to Sgt. Ricardo.
“If you’re standing at the Oceanfront and that current hits you and you get knocked off your feet while you’re standing in your bathing suit, imagine wearing 90 pounds of diving equipment," Sgt. Ricardo explained.
He said the way the vehicle is positioned underwater with zero visibility makes recovery even harder.
“The car is on its roof, and the car is unstable," he said.
Sgt. Ricardo said waves continue to rock the car back and forth, creating dangerous conditions for divers.
On Sunday afternoon, private contractor Crofton Industries based in Portsmouth stepped in to help. Investigators say Crofton brought a salvage barge along with professional salvage divers to try to recover the vehicle. But they, too, faced challenges.
“They broke two bridles that hold their cranes in place, and they snapped a mooring line from the crane barge onto their dive boat," Sgt. Ricardo said. "That’s how violent it was out there.”
Crofton is the same contractor that recovered a semi-truck that went over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel last summer.
Sgt. Ricardo said the recovery efforts are halted until weather permits. He said conditions appear to be more favorable by Thursday.
“Nobody wants to bring resolution to this more than we do. We are as frustrated as anyone else," he said.
Sgt. Ricardo said investigators are using security footage and videos from tipsters to try to uncover who is in the car.
The Sibony family, who owns the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier and Sunsations Realty, sends prayers and condolences.
D Nachnani, president of Coastal Edge, spoke on behalf of the Sibonies in an interview with 13News Now on Monday.
The Virginia Beach Fishing Pier usually kicks off the season on March 1. The owners are now looking to open to fishermen between March 1 and March 31, Nachnani said.
"They are securing the entrance, and they're already at work with contractors to keep the pier secure and safe for the upcoming season," he added.
Other businesses, like the pier gift shop and Ocean Eddie's, are open.
Nachnani said the Sibony family is still evaluating the scope of the damage and giving police the chance to finish their investigation.
"Our condolences and prayers are with the family and with our community. We're all trying to heal and move in a thoughtful way," said Nachnani.