NEW CASTLE, Del. — An early morning crash on the Delaware Memorial Bridge prompted a multi-agency search and rescue operation Friday after a bobtail tractor truck careened off the bridge and into the Delaware River.
According to the Delaware River and Bay Authority, the crash happened at about 3:40 a.m. on the southbound span heading into Delaware. The truck crossed three lanes of traffic, struck a concrete pad near the Delaware anchorage, and smashed through a concrete wall, which collapsed on impact. The vehicle then plunged into the river.
The cab was located in approximately 20 feet of water. Dive crews have been assessing the safety of the area to investigate further.
By late afternoon, authorities announced that due to tide and water conditions in the vicinity of the accident scene, search and recovery efforts of the submerged truck and any people inside the cab were suspended for the day. The driver is presumed dead. No further information is available on the driver’s identity or whether others were in the cab.
Search and recovery efforts are set to resume Saturday, July 12, 2025, at 6 a.m.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash.
Dive teams and marine units from multiple agencies responded, including:
New Castle County Emergency Management
State of Delaware Special Operations Dive Team
Delaware State Police Marine Unit and Dive Team
Wilmington Police
Holloway Terrace and Minquadale Fire Companies
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
Wilmington Fire Marine Unit
U.S. Coast Guard Air and Marine units
The crash occurred on the downslope of the Delaware-bound bridge span near a structurally critical section of the bridge. Officials have not announced any impacts to the structural integrity of the bridge at this time.
All lanes of the Delaware-bound span of the bridge are now open to traffic. As a safety measure, a Delaware River and Bay Authority maintenance attenuator truck has been positioned on the concrete pad near the collapsed concrete wall.