Man and boy die after Mercedes plunges into water

A 40-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy have died after their car became submerged in a canal in Lincolnshire. Lincolnshire Police said a blue Mercedes 300 entered the Louth Canal at Tetney Lock near Grimsby, at about 1.30pm on Saturday. The victims include a young boy and a 40-year-old man, who were both pronounced dead at the scene.

The force said that their next of kin have been informed and that they are being supported by specially-trained officers at this time.

Submerged in water

The car had been driving along Tetney Lock Road, which runs alongside the Louth Canal, before it became submerged in the water. It is not yet known how the accident occurred but officers have appealed for witnesses and anyone with dashcam footage to come forward. A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police force said that police did not believe any other vehicles were involved at this stage, but that officers are "keeping an open mind" while they investigate.

"Please check footage from the Laceby crossroads at Laceby, Grimsby, and the surrounding roads leading to the Tetney Lock Road area between 12:30 and 13:33 yesterday," she said. Diversions were put in place at Tetney Lock Road junction while investigations were carried out but the road was reopened shortly before 3am on Sunday morning.

'I don't think they stood a chance'

Police officers, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, and East Midlands Ambulance Service crews were all immediately dispatched to the incident the day before. Floral tributes have been left at the roadside for the two victims of the car accident.

A local business owner told The Independent: "It was very tragic. The car went off the road and flipped over into a dyke that was absolutely full of water. I don't think they stood any chance."

He believes the pair of victims were father and son, adding: "It is not a particularly dangerous stretch of road but does have deep water to the side of it."

Louth Canal runs for 11 miles from Louth in Lincolnshire to Tetney Haven, at the mouth of the Humber.

There is also a walkway along the length of the canal, which runs for about 12 miles.