NEWPORT, R.I. -- The bodies of three women were pulled Friday from a car at least partially submerged for hours in Newport Harbor after it plunged off a pier and landed on its roof, police said.
Newport police Capt. Fred Gonsalves told The Associated Press that the Hyundai Accent fell 6 to 10 feet into the harbor near the main building of the shipyard. The car, which had Rhode Island plates, was hauled out of 4 feet of water by a large crane around 8:30 a.m.
Gonsalves would not say if the women had been identified. He said authorities are still trying to determine what happened, though foul play was not suspected.
Newport police Capt. Russell Hayes told The Newport Daily News (site operates behind a pay wall) the driver apparently missed a right-hand turn.
"I'm not sure if they intended to take the turn here and missed it because it was dark and because of weather conditions," Hayes told the paper.
A dense fog advisory was in effect in Newport until 9 a.m.
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Vehicle may have been in water for several hours
Gonsalves said the car was discovered at around 6:30 a.m. Friday by a fuel deliveryman. He said it wasn't clear how long it had been in the water.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Ryan O'Hare told the AP earlier that it had been in the water for at least several hours. Newport Fire Department Deputy Chief Frank Young said firefighters wearing wetsuits and goggles discovered the women inside the car in the shallow water.
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The shipyard is open 24 hours, and a security guard is posted at the entrance at all times.
A spokeswoman for the shipyard referred all questions to police.
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