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Man and his two children found dead in car that drove off wharf at Port Lincoln Man and his two children found dead in car that drove off wharf at Port Lincoln
(about 2 hours later)
The bodies of a man and his two small children have been pulled from a car that drove off a wharf at Port Lincoln, South Australia, on Monday morning. A man and his two small children are dead after he drove off a wharf in Port Lincoln on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula.The three victims have been confirmed as locals and police say the car was deliberately driven off Brennen Wharf.Witnesses reported seeing the white station wagon plunge at speed into water 30 metres deep early on Monday morning.The entrance to the wharf is gated but it was unclear whether or not the gates were open.The bodies, the car and a rifle were recovered by police divers about six hours later.
South Australian police said they were called just after 6am when witnesses reported seeing a white car that was apparently driven off the wharf at high speed into 30m of water in the Eyre Peninsula town.
The car involved in the Port Lincoln tragedy has been retrieved from the water off Brennan's Wharf. #9News pic.twitter.com/PcoALGsGyOThe car involved in the Port Lincoln tragedy has been retrieved from the water off Brennan's Wharf. #9News pic.twitter.com/PcoALGsGyO
Police divers found the bodies just before 12.30pm and have confirmed the three belong to the same family. Detective Superintendent Paul Yeomans said it was a heartbreaking incident.“It’s a small community. It’ll be a situation where somebody will know somebody will know somebody and no doubt this will affect a lot of people living in Port Lincoln,” he told reporters.“You’ve got some relatives who have lost relatives.”
Police said the three victims were part of a local family and the deaths will impact a lot of people in the town.
A rifle with a telescopic sight was also recovered from the water, the Adelaide Advertiser reported.
A police spokesman said witnesses reported the car being “driven off the wharf at considerable speed about 6am and sank straight away”, the Advertiser reported.
“They think it was going quite fast and as it went in, it kind of flipped,” he said.
#BREAKING: Police have pulled a rifle from the water, near where a car plunged off a Port Lincoln wharf. #9Newscomau pic.twitter.com/ZCQGSYvBih#BREAKING: Police have pulled a rifle from the water, near where a car plunged off a Port Lincoln wharf. #9Newscomau pic.twitter.com/ZCQGSYvBih
City of Port Lincoln mayor Bruce Green said he felt “empty” after hearing the news. Mayor Bruce Green said he felt “empty” after hearing the news.“You’re just dumbfounded as to why these things can happen,” he told AAP.“You don’t have any power in solving what’s just happened or changing what’s just happened. So you just feel a little empty.”Hundreds of tributes have been left to the children on social media.“So tragic - dear little souls. Thoughts are with the families,” one woman wrote on Facebook.“How could anyone do this? They were only children who didn’t have a choice. You never hurt your family. Heartbreaking,” another said.Supt Yeomans said the incident was challenging for everyone involved, including the police divers who had recovered the bodies.“But my heart certainly goes out for the relatives,” he said.* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78
“You’re just dumbfounded as to why these things can happen and you just feel - you don’t have any power in solving what’s just happened or changing what’s just happened. So you just feel a little empty,” he said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000.