HALFMOON, N.Y. – A person has died after driving their car into the Mohawk River near the Route 9 bridge in Halfmoon Thursday.

“Unfortunately, we have recovered one body. It's unidentified at this time,” said Lt. Rob Appleton, of the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Barbara Ritschel was among the first people on the scene after noticing a car half-submerged in water while crossing the bridge that connects Halfmoon and Latham.

"The car was half out of the water, you could see the two air bags but then the car sank and all you see were the bubbles on top of the water," Ritschel said. "I'd never seen anything like it and I never want to again."

With the support of a State Police helicopter, dive teams from numerous departments searched for more than an hour. At around 3:30 p.m., they located the vehicle submerged in 12 feet of water and recovered the driver's remains.

"We are letting the investigation take its course and we want to let next of kin know first," Appleton said.

Police have yet to determine what caused the individual to drive into the river. Their next step is removing the car.

"We'll have a recovery team on its way and then that vehicle will be removed from the water at some point in the near future," Appleton said.

For Ritschel, who was among the first to call 911, her thoughts remain with the victim.

"I'm sorry that it happened and I hope that their families are okay,” she said.