FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – A submerged vehicle containing multiple bodies was recently discovered in a pond by a Florida-based sonar search and recovery group. Sunshine State Sonar, known for aiding law enforcement in the retrieval of evidence, missing persons, and vehicles, made the grim discovery during a recent operation.
The group employs sound wave technology to create underwater images, a technique that led to the recovery of a 1983 Oldsmobile from a retention pond near the Sawgrass Mills Mall. The discovery was made in collaboration with Adventures With Purpose, a fellow diving group, around 11 a.m. on January 6.
The Oldsmobile was found submerged in 24 feet of water at the mall parking lot entrance. The search operation was initially launched in search of a missing woman, Libby Dibenedetton, who was last seen in 2000 in Sunrise, Florida. The number of bodies found in the vehicle remains undisclosed as the investigation continues.
Sunshine State Sonar and the local police department have extended their sympathies to the victims’ families. A spokesperson for the Sunrise police confirmed their involvement in retrieving the vehicle from the pond. The last registration of the car dates back to 2005, and the identities of the bodies are currently under investigation.
The group’s recent operations have also led to the recovery of other missing individuals. On New Year’s Eve, the body of Sandra Lemire, an Orlando mother missing for nearly 12 years, was found in her vehicle in a retention pond near Disney World, Florida. Information from the police led the group to new search locations, resulting in the discovery.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol, while the medical examiner’s office in Orlando is yet to confirm the remains. Sandra Lemire’s son, Timothy, expressed his gratitude to Sunshine State Sonar for their efforts in solving the case.