PORTSMOUTH, Va. – The Coast Guard and local agencies are searching for one person, Thursday, after a tractor-trailer truck went into the water from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Virginia command center were notified at approximately 2 p.m. that the truck with trailer attached went over the rail with at least one person inside roughly 1 mile from Chic’s Beach.
Multiple agencies are searching including Coast Guard Station Little Creek, Coast Guard Cutter Sailfish, Coast Guard Cutter Seahawk, Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, Virginia Beach Police, Virginia Beach Fire Department, Virginia Beach EMS, and Virginia Marine Resource Commission.
“This is a concentrated joint search effort consisting of multiple rescue crews, search aircraft, and boats,” said Chief Warrant Officer Dan Butierries, Coast Guard Sector Virginia search and rescue mission coordinator. “We are committed to searching by land and sea throughout the night and into the morning,” he said.
Plans are being made to recover the tractor-trailer Friday.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Authority is investigating the accident.
Editor’s note: Media interested in more information may contact the Fifth Coast Guard District public affairs duty watchstander at 757-295-8435.