NEW CASTLE, Del. — The driver of a semi-truck cab that crashed through a concrete barrier and plunged off the Delaware Memorial Bridge early Friday morning is presumed dead, according to officials.
The crash occurred around 3:40 a.m. as the truck cab, which was not hauling a trailer, traveled southbound on I-295 into Delaware. Authorities say it veered across three lanes of traffic, mounted a concrete pad near the Delaware anchorage, and then smashed through a concrete wall before falling into the Delaware River.
Search crews later located the submerged cab approximately 20 feet underwater. As of Friday evening, the driver’s identity has not been confirmed, and it remains unclear if any additional occupants were inside the vehicle at the time of the crash.
“This is something none of us can recall happening before,” said TJ Murray, a veteran of over 30 years with the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA). “From what I understand, no one remembers a vehicle ever going over the side of the bridge like this.”
No other vehicles were involved in the incident.
In response to the crash, the Coast Guard, Delaware special operations dive team, local fire departments, and the DRBA deployed a coordinated search and recovery operation. A third-party contractor working on the bridge is providing a barge and crane to assist with removing the truck cab from the river.
DRBA officials also reported that maintenance and marine units have secured the damaged area on the bridge to prevent debris from falling and interfering with recovery efforts below.
By 4:30 p.m. Friday, recovery operations were suspended due to tide conditions. Authorities expect to resume the search Saturday morning when conditions allow.
As of now, all lanes of the Delaware-bound span of the bridge have reopened to traffic. For safety, a DRBA attenuator vehicle has been stationed on the concrete pad near the damaged wall.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
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