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Toronto police recover woman's body, car after plunge into Lake Ontario

Toronto police recovered a woman's body and her car on Friday, a day after the vehicle slammed through a guardrail and plunged off a bridge into Lake Ontario.

Police divers went into the water early Friday to bring up the body. Then, more than an hour later, a tow truck and crane pulled out the car, which was on the bottom of a shipping channel.

The vehicle, damaged at its front and back ends, was put on a barge and will be inspected by police.

Const. Clint Stibbe, spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service, said investigators have obtained video of the accident. They have not released the woman's name.

"We believe we know who it is," Stibbe said.

"We are going to determine whether it was a medical episode, driver error or a mechanical issue with the vehicle. We have to keep an open mind. We cannot assume anything. It is an open investigation," he said. The woman was the car's only occupant.

Divers located the vehicle, nearly eight metres down, on Thursday in the Cherry Street and Polson Pier area, but were unable to retrieve the woman's remains.

Stibbe said the car was northbound on Cherry Street at about 4 p.m. ET when it veered left, hit and jumped the curb, went through a guardrail and plunged off the side of the bridge. A cyclist dove into the water right afterwards to try to attempt a rescue but ended up in hospital, being treated for hypothermia.

Stibbe said the video shows a second person also went into the water for an apparent rescue attempt. Police are trying to identify that person and would like to speak to him or her.

On Thursday, Toronto Sgt. Brett Moore said speed may have been a factor in the accident.

"That's something we're going to look at, but there's certainly enough speed to cause that vehicle to leave the road, to cross over the traffic, to cross over the sidewalk, through the metal barrier and into the water," Moore said.

Police divers worked with Toronto Fire Services in the recovery operation.