A dump truck driver fatally plunged hundreds of feet into a water-filled rock pit in Indiana on Tuesday, according to the authorities. The incident occurred when the heavy vehicle he was driving slid near the edge of the quarry site, killing him instantly. His body was found by divers on Wednesday morning.
The unidentified worker in rural Crawford County, submerged at a depth of at least 20 feet beneath the surface, as stated by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources in a news release. An investigation has been launched but the police, as of now, believe that it was an accident that took the driver's life.
Unfortunate Death
According to the department, the employee from Mulzer Crushed Stone Inc. was operating the large dump truck near the cliff when it went over the edge at approximately 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
According to reports, the driver lost control of the truck because of the load it was carrying. An investigation has been launched to ascertain the exact cause of the driver's death. As of now, the police don't suspect any foul play.
Upon arrival at the scene, first responders faced difficulties in locating the man due to the "steep, unstable terrain" surrounding the pit, as reported by officials. To assist conservation officers in reaching the water by boat, employees from the company constructed a temporary path.
"As you can imagine a quarry is not the most stable environment to work in," Indiana Conservation Officer Jim Schreck told WDRB. "Our efforts were hampered by the terrain."
Struggle in Finding Driver's Body
The precise location of the truck was identified using sonar images captured from the boat, and a remote-operated submersible was deployed to assist divers in locating the man, as detailed by the Natural Resources Department.
Subsequently, divers retrieved the worker's body from the submerged truck. The body of the dump truck driver was recovered nearly 24 hours later.
"For our searches, we have to make sure it's a safe, stable environment for them to even enter the water," Schreck reportedly said.
The Crawford County Sheriff's Department, Crawford County Emergency Management Agency, Leavenworth Fire Department, and Indiana State Police all contributed to the search for the missing driver.
The quarry site is located in Cape Sandy, an unincorporated community located in close proximity to the Ohio River and near the border with Kentucky.
The victim's identity is being withheld pending family notification and the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
