Vehicle flipped into Tampa Bay after crash on Howard Frankland Bridge

Image 1 of 18

Crews have recovered a vehicle that ended up in the water below the Howard Frankland Bridge after a traffic crash along Interstate 275 this morning, but there's no sign of the driver.

The Florida Highway Patrol says the crash occurred just after 7 a.m. A white 2006 Saturn SUV was driving recklessly as it headed southbound on the bridge. The driver changed lanes and into the path of a Ford F-150, driven by a 30-year-old man from Tampa. 

The rear of the SUV collided with the front-left side of the Ford truck. The SUV rotated and overturned multiple times before flipping over the side of the bridge and into the waters of Tampa Bay.

The driver of the Ford truck was not injured, but traffic crawled to a stop as first responders arrived on the highway and on the water, searching for the SUV.

As Tampa Fire Rescue boat and other marine units circled beneath the bridge, the Tampa police dive team entered the water. Hours later, they connected cables to the SUV's undercarriage and a wrecker hoisted the vehicle from the water.

The dripping SUV was gently placed back onto the side of I-275, but troopers said there was no one inside.

"The occupant(s) have not been located," an FHP spokesman noted.

Two southbound lanes of I-275 are still closed before the hump.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.