Mounties discover school bus, stolen vehicles in Fraser River

Firefighters are seen on a rescue boat in the Fraser River after a car became submerged on April 6, 2024.

Police in Metro Vancouver say their investigation into how a vehicle ended up at the bottom of the Fraser River has led to the discovery of other submerged vehicles, including a school bus and at least two stolen cars.

Mounties responded to Maquabeak Park in Coquitlam, B.C., shortly after midnight on April 6, where a vehicle that was still running with its lights on was found in the river.

Police searched the area and firefighters searched the river but no owners or occupants were found.

The RCMP's underwater recovery team was called in later that day and found the submerged vehicle – a stolen 2004 Mazda – along with "multiple other vehicles, including a school bus," the Coquitlam RCMP said in a news release Wednesday.

"The other vehicles appear to have been at this location for some time," Cpl. Alexa Hodgins said in the release. One of those vehicles has been recovered and identified as a black 2000 Honda Civic that police say was also reported stolen.

The B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has assumed conduct of the vehicle recovery operation due to potential environmental concerns, while a coast guard dive team has been tasked with searching the vehicles, according to police.

"We will continue to work with our partners, however, should any of the vehicles be linked to a criminal investigation, Coquitlam RCMP will assume conduct of that investigation," Hodgins added.

Anyone with information about any of the vehicles is asked to contact the Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550.