3 'missing' people found safe, were never in car when it was submerged off Texas pier, police say

Three passengers who were initially believed to be missing after a car drove off a pier in Galveston, Texas, early Sunday were found safe and unharmed and were not in the vehicle when the accident occurred, according to police.

The car drove off Pier 21 and into the Galveston Harbor early Sunday morning, states a press release that was sent to USA TODAY from the City of Galveston Police. It was submerged in around 30 feet of water.

The 21-year-old driver, who was charged with driving while intoxicated, claimed that three other people were in the car when it crashed into the water. But when it was pulled out hours after the crash, no one was inside.

Galveston Port Police, who asked the Galveston Police Department for help in the case, were in charge of the area where the incident took place.

The passengers who were allegedly in the car were located after the search and rescue mission began. They all appeared to have not been in the vehicle when it crashed into the harbor.

The driver was transported to UTMB Health Galveston, where he was cleared medically.

What happened to the other passengers?

At 8:30 a.m. local time, the car was pulled out of the water, and no one was found inside the vehicle, according to the press release.

Police located all three of the passengers, whom the driver claimed were in the car when it sank into the harbor.

They were not in the vehicle when the incident occurred and were located "safe and well" after officials enlisted the help of different agencies to look for them underwater, according to police.

The United States Coast Guard assisted in the search and used boats and a helicopter to search for the missing passengers.

Texas Parks and Wildlife were also asked to help. The agency used technology to look for possible victims who might've been submerged, but found no other passengers.

The investigation is ongoing.

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz