Man and woman killed as car plunges into Welsh river at 3am on Christmas Day

The bodies of two people have been recovered from a car after it plunged into a Welsh river in the early hours of Christmas morning.

Emergency services were called to the River Tawe in Swansea just after 3am after reports that a car had entered the water.

The car – a black Mini – was found ‘fully submerged’ in the river and the bodies of a man and a woman were found in the water nearby. 

No other vehicle was involved at the scene although investigations are ongoing. 

A crane lifts a car out of the River Tawe in Swansea on Christmas Day after it plunged into the river in the early hours of the morning

An aerial view of a crane lifting the black BMW Mini out  of the water after it entered the River Tawe in Swansea on Christmas Day

The A483 New Cut Road was closed at 6am and remains closed on Christmas Day.

Detective Inspector Sharon Gill-Lewis said: ‘South Wales Police was called around 3.05am this morning, Christmas Day, following reports that a car had gone into the River Tawe at New Cut Road, Swansea.

‘Emergency services attended and a car was found fully submerged in the river. The bodies of a woman and man were located in the river nearby. 

‘Their next of kin are being informed and enquiries are continuing to ascertain the full circumstances behind the incident.

A police officer stands at  cordon next to the River Tawe after two bodies were recovered following a crash in the early hours of the morning

‘The incident is ongoing at the scene and no further detail is available at this time.’

Swansea Council tweeted: ‘Sorry to say there’s been a major incident at the two bridges near Fabian Way in Swansea, one of which is currently closed. If you are in the area, please follow diversions. Road should be open in a few hours.’

The Welsh Ambulance Service confirmed it had received a call at 3.07am and sent two rapid response vehicles and two road ambulances to the scene.

Eye-witness Kane Morgan, 23, said: ‘It’s a terrible thing to happen on Christmas Day – I feel so bad for their families.

‘The police have been here all day recovering the car which doesn’t look badly damaged. 

‘They launched a police boat from the nearby marina, I think the diverse are making sure there’s nobody else missing. 

‘I don’t understand how the car got into the river at that point – it’s a safe stretch of road.’ 

Mr Morgan added that a white railing on the river bank was badly damaged and ‘folded’ where the car shot through. 

Police are not expected to name the couple, believed to be local, until after the Christmas weekend.