An astonishing incident unfolded at the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier early on Saturday morning, resulting in a vehicle plunging into the sea, with the driver suspected to be deceased. Authorities received the initial distress call at 6:52 a.m., reporting a car that had breached the pier’s end, located off 15th Street at the Oceanfront. Virginia Beach police spokesman Jude Brenya provided a brief account, stating, “The vehicle traversed the pier and ultimately descended into the water. It is presumed to be submerged at the pier’s extremity at present.”
Witnesses to this unexpected event included Kaylynn Crawford and a companion, who had paused their northward jog along the Boardwalk to capture the sunrise. Moments before Crawford commenced recording, a significant collision sound was heard, emanating from the vehicle as it forcefully entered the pier through an access gate. A video later shared by Crawford’s father on social media captured the vehicle, illuminated by its headlights in the dawn light, racing towards the pier’s terminus as seabirds scattered into the foggy morning sky.
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Crawford, in disbelief, is heard questioning the car’s trajectory, “Is he gonna drive off the edge?” followed by exclamations of shock from both witnesses as the vehicle made its descent. Reflecting on the incident, Crawford recounted her initial reaction to hearing the vehicle collide with a secondary gate, prompting her to start recording. She observed the vehicle’s brake lights flickering and a slight deceleration before it vanished over the edge. Immediately recognizing the gravity of the situation, Crawford contacted emergency services, noting their swift response.
The Virginia Beach Fishing Pier, noted in various sources as extending 1,000 feet into the ocean, became the scene of intensive recovery efforts. Police have yet to ascertain the number of individuals within the vehicle or its make and model. According to Brenya, the car now rests at the ocean’s bed, invisible from the surface. While no casualties were confirmed by late afternoon on Saturday, the authorities are operating under the assumption of at least one fatality within the submerged vehicle. “The vehicle’s retrieval is requisite for confirmation,” Brenya added.
Owing to the challenging conditions and depth of the water, divers were not deployed for an immediate investigation into the vehicle. Instead, alternative technological means have been employed, though specific details were not disclosed. Brenya mentioned ongoing efforts to amass the necessary resources for the vehicle’s extraction, indicating a potential reliance on private entities for the operation, which is anticipated to commence either later on Saturday or at dawn on Sunday, contingent on weather conditions and the availability of equipment.
Debbie Lou Hague, proprietor of Ocean Eddie’s, the pier restaurant, visited the site early on Saturday. She described the scene where the vehicle had demolished multiple metal gates that secure the pier’s entrance during the off-season. A sturdier gate, providing access to the restaurant, was also breached. “That’s a heavy gate,” Hague remarked, suggesting the driver’s familiarity with the pier’s layout, given the precise route taken past the turnstile gate near Ocean Eddie’s, where fishermen typically purchase pier access tickets.
The incident has left the local community in shock, with Ocean Eddie’s staff arriving shortly after the vehicle’s dramatic plunge, resulting in the restaurant foregoing its usual breakfast service. “Not today,” Hague said, reflecting the somber mood following the morning’s harrowing events. As the Virginia Beach community awaits further developments, the focus remains on the recovery operation and the investigation into the circumstances leading up to this tragic incident.
