CENTRE, Ala. (AP) – A vehicle drove off a boat landing in northeastern Alabama, and at least four people inside drowned, while a fifth was missing, an official said Wednesday.
Those killed ranged in age from their 20s to their 40s, said Cherokee County coroner Dr. Jeremy Deaton. News outlets reported that two people survived and were taken to a hospital after the vehicle plunged into Weiss Lake from Leesburg Landing in Cherokee County just before 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Deaton said authorities are still investigating what caused the car to end up in the water and searching for the fifth person.
Al.com (http://bit.ly/2hx3Gro ) reported that the vehicle hit the water as a nearby powerhouse had a generating turbine running and that churning water might have carried the vehicle farther into the water.
“This is extremely difficult, since these were people with families with young children,” Deaton said. “Thankfully no children were involved in this accident.”
Crews located the vehicle in about 18 feet of water and pulled it out about 11 p.m.
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Information from: WBRC-TV, http://www.myfoxal.com/