Westerly, R.I. — Aug. 6 — The Watch Hill Fire Department assisted the Misquamicut Fire Department after a vehicle entered the Weekapaug Breachway early Thursday morning, prompting a multi-agency water rescue and recovery operation.

Westerly police received a 911 call around 4:45 a.m. reporting a vehicle in the water. The juvenile driver was able to escape the vehicle before first responders arrived and was not seriously injured.

Watch Hill responded with three chiefs, Marine 10 and additional personnel to assist at the scene. Dive teams, rescue swimmers and an underwater drone were used to search the submerged vehicle and surrounding area to make sure no one else was inside.

The response included the Misquamicut and Watch Hill fire departments, Rhode Island State Police and several dive teams. The vehicle was removed from the breachway before 10 a.m., and the waterway was reopened following the recovery operation.

The incident remained under investigation by Westerly police and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Police. Officials had not determined what caused the vehicle to enter the water.