Car in River Nene at Wisbech found after fatal crash

A car involved in a fatal river crash has been recovered by dive teams as police continue to search for the missing 18-year-old driver.

Declan Berry was driving the blue VW Polo when it crashed into the River Nene at North Brink, near Wisbech, last Tuesday.

Eden Bunn, 16, from Sutton Bridge, died in the crash, with three other people taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.The body of 16-year-old Eden Bunn was found last Thursday (Image: Cambridgeshire Police/PA Wire)

Detective Inspector Craig Wheeler from the Road Policing Unit said: “We are still actively searching for Declan along the River Nene.

“We continue to support his family, who were present when the vehicle was recovered.

“My thoughts remain with the families and friends of Eden Bunn and Declan Berry during this awful time.”

The search continues for 18-year-old Declan Berry (Image: Cambridgeshire Police/PA Wire)

The Berry family plans to create a memorial on the riverbank, with a platform and seating so people can contemplate and remember Declan and Eden

Anyone with dashcam footage or who may have witnessed the incident is urged to contact Cambridgeshire Police.

Officers have asked the public to quote incident 515 of March 17 when providing information.

A car has been recovered from the River Nene as searches continue for a missing teen (Image: PA/ Sam Russell)

The River Nene tragedy near North Brink in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, has delivered another layer of shock and frustration as local reports confirm the blue Volkswagen Polo carrying Declan Berry and four other teenagers has been successfully recovered from the water — yet a glaring 40-second gap in the surveillance timeline has left investigators, families, and the community grappling with more questions than answers.

According to Cambridgeshire Police updates, specialist diving teams lifted the submerged Polo from the tidal River Nene on Sunday, March 22, 2026. No additional bodies were found inside the vehicle when it was brought ashore, intensifying the desperate search for 18-year-old Declan Berry, who is believed to have been driving. The car had plunged into the river around 8:20 PM on Tuesday, March 17, after veering off the narrow, unlit stretch of North Brink. Eden Bunn, 16, from Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire, was tragically recovered from the water the following day, while three other teenagers — two 16-year-old girls and an 18-year-old boy — escaped with non-life-threatening injuries and were treated at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn.

Surveillance cameras positioned near the crash site captured the Polo traveling along North Brink before it began swerving erratically for several seconds and then left the road. Many in the local community and online discussions had initially believed the vehicle departed the carriageway just seconds before impact with the water. However, a detailed review of the available footage and timestamps has revealed an unexplained 40-second gap in the timeline. This mysterious interval — occurring in the critical moments immediately before the visible swerve and plunge — remains unaccounted for, fueling intense speculation and concern.

Friends of Declan have continued to insist he was “driving normally” in the earlier part of the evening, with no signs of recklessness, impairment, or mechanical issues. The car was his pride and joy, recently acquired after he passed his test, and he had been excitedly planning modifications. Yet the 40-second void has cast doubt on that narrative. Was there a sudden distraction inside the cabin? A momentary loss of control not fully captured on camera? Or something more sinister that unfolded during those missing seconds, tying into earlier survivor claims of “something horrifying” discovered or experienced in the driver’s seat?

This timeline discrepancy intersects uneasily with separate but overlapping reports surrounding Jimmy Gracey, whose own disappearance and death in Barcelona’s Shoko nightclub area (a completely unrelated incident in Spain) has sparked online confusion and conspiracy chatter among those following the Wisbech case. Jimmy’s case — involving his last known moments at a beachfront venue, feelings of being watched, interactions near water, and a body recovered days later — has nothing to do with the River Nene crash, but the coincidental timing and waterfront themes have led some to draw false parallels. Police have made no connection between the two events, and Jimmy was not part of the Polo group.

Back in Wisbech, the focus remains firmly on the North Brink crash. Detective Inspector Craig Wheeler of the Road Policing Unit described the river recovery operation as extremely challenging due to strong tidal currents, poor visibility, and difficult conditions, yet officers remain committed: “We are still actively searching for Declan along the River Nene. We continue to support his family, who were present today when the vehicle was recovered.” Detective Chief Inspector Garry Webb has reiterated that the Serious Collision Investigation Unit is conducting a thorough inquiry, with fresh appeals for any dashcam footage, witness accounts, or information relating to incident 515 of March 17.

Declan’s older brother Connor previously spoke movingly of a young man “full of life,” on the verge of joining the army and fulfilling his dreams — a future now suspended in uncertainty. Eden’s family remembered her as the “kindest, most loving girl,” with floral tributes continuing to grow along the riverbank as the community mourns. The three survivors, still recovering, have provided limited public statements, but their accounts of frantic seconds inside the sinking car — doors that “wouldn’t open,” rising water pressure, and desperate attempts to escape — remain harrowing.

The 40-second gap has become the new focal point of public frustration. In an age of near-constant surveillance, the absence of clarity in those crucial moments feels especially cruel. Did the Polo slow, stop briefly, or experience an internal event not visible from the camera angles? Could the gap hide a mechanical failure, a sudden medical issue, an argument, or an external factor that caused the violent swerve? Until forensic examination of the recovered vehicle, analysis of any onboard systems, and further witness input fill in the blanks, the timeline refuses to close.

As searches for Declan enter a new week and the Polo undergoes detailed inspection, the unexplained 40 seconds stand as a stark reminder of how quickly ordinary teenage nights can unravel into tragedy — and how stubbornly some truths can hide even in the digital age. Families, friends, and a watching community wait anxiously for the river and the investigation to surrender the final pieces of this devastating puzzle.