Two teenagers in car that crashed into river identified by police

The body of Eden Bunn, 16, has been recovered from the River Nene near Wisbech but searches are continuing for 18-year-old Declan Berry.

The car crashed into the River Nene near Wisbech in Cambridgeshire

Two teenagers who were in a car that crashed into a river have been named by police, after the body of a 16-year-old girl was recovered by divers and searches continue for an 18-year-old man.

Eden Bunn, 16, died after the car she was travelling in left the road and entered the River Nene near Wisbech, Cambridgeshire Police said.

The force said Eden was believed to be a rear-seat passenger in the car when it crashed at about 8.20pm on Tuesday.

Eden, of Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire, was described by her family as the “kindest, most loving girl we could ever wish for”.

Eden Bunn, 16, was believed to be a rear seat passenger in the blue VW Polo when it crashed into the river and her body was recovered by divers.

Police said searches are continuing for 18-year-old Declan Berry of Wisbech, who is believed to have been driving the blue VW Polo when it entered the water.

In a tribute released through police, his family and friends said they were “absolutely devastated beyond words”.

Detective Inspector Craig Wheeler, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said the search for Mr Berry “could be a timely process” due to the “challenging nature of the river”.

Divers recovered Eden’s body on Wednesday.

Cambridgeshire Police said the vehicle had five people inside and three of them managed to get out and were taken to hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

Two of the three people who were taken to hospital – a 16-year-old girl and an 18-year-old boy – have been discharged, police said.

Searches continue for Declan Berry, 18, who was believed to have been driving the blue VW Polo when it entered the water.

A 16-year-old girl remained in hospital on Thursday, the force said.

The vehicle was travelling south on North Brink in Wisbech St Mary’s when it left the road.

There is a grass bank between the road and the river.

Mr Wheeler said: “This is a truly devastating collision, for all involved.

“My thoughts are with the friends and family of Eden and Declan during this truly horrific time.

“Our investigation is at an early stage but I would appeal to anyone who may have seen the collision or the blue VW Polo in the Wisbech area between 7pm and 8.20pm on Tuesday to contact police.

“Our focus remains on trying to find Declan, however due to the challenging nature of the river, this could be a timely process.

“During this period, there will be an increased police presence along the River Nene whilst we continue our efforts to find him.”

Eden’s parents Lisa and Dean, her brother Jay, sister Shelby and nephew Axl said in a tribute released through police: “Words cannot describe the tragedy that will stay with us until we are able to meet her again.

“Her horses – Daisy and Dolly – were her world, and she was ours.”

Police are appealing for witnesses and those with dashcam footage to contact them, referencing incident 515 of March 17.

As searches for 18-year-old Declan Berry enter their tenth day along the River Nene in Wisbech St Mary, Cambridgeshire, a seemingly innocuous detail from the recovery of the blue Volkswagen Polo has captured public attention and intensified online speculation. Local media reports and circulating images from the scene reportedly show a small item lying near the driver’s seat — the position where Declan, who had only passed his test months earlier, is believed to have been sitting when the car left North Brink and plunged into the tidal waters shortly after 8:20 p.m. on March 17, 2026. While police have released no official comment on the object, its presence has become the latest focal point in discussions about the critical seconds before impact.

The blue VW Polo was lifted from the river on Sunday, March 22, with specialist diving teams assisting. No additional occupants were found inside. The body of 16-year-old Eden Bunn, believed to have been a rear-seat passenger, was recovered the day after the crash. Three other teenagers — two 16-year-old girls and one 18-year-old boy — escaped the sinking vehicle and were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Declan remains unaccounted for despite ongoing efforts involving divers, helicopters, and ground teams.

According to accounts referenced in local press and widely shared on community platforms, photographs taken during or after the vehicle’s recovery appear to show a small, unidentified item in the front driver’s area. Descriptions vary slightly in unverified posts — some call it a “small dark object,” others suggest it could be personal property, a device, or something innocuous like a key fob, accessory, or debris displaced during the submersion and recovery process. The item’s exact nature has not been confirmed by Cambridgeshire Police, who continue to describe the investigation as being at an early stage.

This detail has drawn attention because it coincides with earlier unverified survivor accounts and witness claims. Some circulating testimonies mentioned unusual hand movements or a “strange movement” from the driver in the moments before the car veered off the road. Others referenced a possible sudden acceleration or jolt. The small item near the driver’s seat has led some online commentators to speculate whether it was connected to those final actions — perhaps something Declan was holding, reaching for, or that fell during the loss of control. Police have made no link between any object and the cause of the crash, and friends of Declan have repeatedly stated he was driving normally with nothing unusual observed.

Detective Inspector Craig Wheeler of the Road Policing Unit has appealed for dashcam footage or any sightings of the blue Polo between 7 p.m. and 8:20 p.m. on March 17, highlighting the river’s challenging tidal conditions. The force has stressed its priority remains locating Declan and supporting the families, who were present when the vehicle was recovered. No forensic findings about the interior or any items have been publicly released.

The discovery has added another layer to the patchwork of rumours already swirling in local Facebook groups and comment sections. Some theories suggest the item could indicate a distraction — a phone, vape, or accessory — while others argue it is likely unrelated, simply displaced by the force of the water or the recovery operation. Trauma experts note that memories of high-stress events are often fragmented, and visual details from a submerged, damaged vehicle can be misinterpreted. Experts in vehicle submersion incidents also point out that objects inside a sinking car frequently shift due to water movement and the vehicle’s orientation.

Amid the speculation, the human cost remains at the forefront. Declan’s family, including his father Alan and brother Connor, has spoken of their devastation. Connor has shared plans for a permanent memorial on the riverbank — a platform with seating where people can sit, reflect, and remember both Declan and Eden. Friends describe Declan as a responsible, prank-loving young man excited about joining the Royal Engineers and working on cars and bikes. Eden Bunn’s family called her “the kindest, most loving girl,” a devoted horse lover. Tributes of flowers and notes continue to grow along North Brink, a narrow road known locally for its tricky surface and proximity to the water.

As of March 26, 2026, the small item in the front seat remains an unexplained detail in an already tragic and unclear sequence of events. Without official confirmation or forensic context, it serves more as a symbol of the information gaps that fuel public curiosity and theories than as established evidence. Police continue methodical searches downstream, while the recovered Polo undergoes examination.

For the Wisbech community and the families involved, every new fragment — whether survivor recollections of silence, hand movements, escape struggles, or now this small object near the driver’s seat — underscores the desperate need for answers. What began as an ordinary evening drive among friends ended in heartbreak on a deceptively familiar stretch of road. The river keeps its silence, but the questions, including what that small item signifies about the final moments, linger as searches and grief continue.