Body found in vehicle in Minnesota River in Bloomington

Hennepin County search crews have recovered a body and vehicle from the Minnesota River.

Crews pulled the vehicle, with the body inside, from the river in Bloomington on Tuesday. It was about 24 feet underwater, Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt said during a news conference Tuesday afternoon at the site near the Lyndale boat ramp Avenue, on the north bank of the Minnesota River, just east of Interstate 35W.

Emergency responders were first called to the scene Sunday evening after passersby saw a person driving a vehicle into the water. The identity of the person found in the vehicle has not been released.

Search boats also placed a hook on a second vehicle found in the water on Tuesday. He was found near the first vehicle through the use of sonar equipment. Crews were still working Tuesday afternoon to remove the second vehicle from the fast-flowing river. Both vehicles were about 500 feet downstream from the boat ramp, Witt said. Sheriff's spokeswoman Megan Larson said earlier Tuesday that “we believe the incidents are unrelated,” although the two vehicles were found nearby.

Witt said investigators are working to determine what happened, but she cautioned that the fast current and high water levels create a dangerous situation and anyone entering the water should wear a vest safety.

“People need to know the current and water levels right now to be extra cautious,” Witt said.