Vehicle found submerged in pond. It had a body in it, NC sheriff says

A vehicle was found submerged in water on New Year’s Eve, and closer inspection also revealed a body, according to investigators in eastern North Carolina.

The identity of the occupant has not been released.

The discovery was made just after 2 p.m. Wednesday along highway U.S. 17 in the Williamston area, about a 105-mile drive east from downtown Raleigh.

“Deputies with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office responded to a pond ... regarding a vehicle submerged,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

“With the assistance of (multiple departments), the vehicle was recovered from the pond. A deceased individual was found inside the vehicle.”

A cause of death has not been released.

Investigators have not found evidence of foul play, but the incident remains under investigation, officials said.

This story was originally published January 1, 2026 at 7:09 AM with the headline "Vehicle found submerged in pond. It had a body in it, NC sheriff says."