3 people presumed missing after car drives off Pier 21 in Galveston, 1 person rescued, police say

GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) – Authorities fear that at least three people may still be in a car that was driven from Pier 21 in Galveston early Sunday morning.

According to Lt. Jeff Banks, Galveston police received a call around 1 a.m. about a vehicle that had driven through the chain and into the water at the corner of 21st Street and Harborside Drive.

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When investigators arrived, they learned that at least one man – identified as the driver – had fled and told police that there were three other people in the vehicle.

Banks estimates the water to be about 20 to 30 feet deep.

Galveston Harbor Police and the U.S. Coast Guard joined the search with helicopters, boats and dive teams. At 6:15 a.m., Banks told ABC13 they had found the vehicle but it was still underwater.

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Rescue crews had to wait for several cruise ships to pass before they could begin recovering the car. Banks said she had not yet confirmed whether there were anyone else in the vehicle. If so, the outcome would likely be grim, as the car was underwater for hours.

Galveston police said the driver was taken to the hospital where investigators are questioning him. They are still working to determine the cause and whether the driver was intoxicated at the time of the incident.

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