Watch above: 4 dead after crash east of Saskatoon
SASKATOON – Four people are dead after a single-vehicle crash east of Saskatoon Tuesday afternoon.
Two Humboldt RCMP officers came across a vehicle upside-down in a slough around 4 p.m. on Highway 5, about 50 kilometers east of Saskatoon.
It is not known how long the vehicle had been there, according to RCMP Sgt. Craig Cleary.
“I think it was luck that our members came across it, found it, I believe the vehicle was still running at the time,” said Cleary.
The PT Cruiser was submerged to the top of the windows which were entirely below the waterline.
Four adults, two men and two women, were found dead inside the vehicle.
Officials say the two women are believed to be in their 70’s while one man is believed to be in his 80’s. The approximate age of the second man has not been confirmed. It is believed they are from Saskatoon.
Their names have not been released as police are still attempting to contact next of kin.
Highway 5 from St. Denis to Highway 2 was closed for several hours while police investigated.
The initial investigation into the fatal crash has determined the driver of the vehicle lost control and entered the south ditch where it rolled on its roof and into the slough.
An autopsy has been ordered on the female driver.
Whether the victims died during the rollover or once in the water has yet to be determined.
The investigation could take up to three months.
According to the Saskatoon Lifesaving Society, there’s an average of five vehicle deaths per year due to water submersion.
Travel on Highway 5 between Saskatoon and Humboldt is extremely busy. The shoulders of the highway where the incident occurred are very narrow.
In the ditch along Highway 5, approximately 400 meters east of the slough a cross marks the spot of a past tragedy.
On Wednesday afternoon, a couple personal items such as sunglasses and business cards lay strewn at the water’s edge, marking the scene of this tragedy.
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