MT. SINAI, N.Y. (PIX11) — A man missing for nearly 15 years was believed to be found in his car less than 60 feet away from a boat ramp in New York, according to police and the man’s family.
Volunteer divers from Exploring with a Mission and Adventures with Purpose found the car using side-scan sonar at around 5 p.m. on Monday near the Cedar Beach boat ramp. What they believed to be human bones were found in the driver’s seat, according to police and the volunteers.
The dive team then notified police, and further investigation by the Suffolk County Marine Bureau led to the discovery of more human remains on Tuesday. The car had to be pulled from the water using a crane, police said.
The divers from Exploring with a Mission who discovered the car said it was 55 feet away from the ramp and 19 feet below the surface in a later interview.
The car, a white PT Cruiser, is the same vehicle Robert Long was last seen driving in 2010 when he was reported missing.
Suffolk County Medical Examiners have not yet released the identity of the remains, but Long’s wife, Joanne, claimed her husband was the one in the car.
“My husband’s remains have been recovered,” Long’s wife said on social media. “I will continue to pray for those who are still awaiting answers, and I remain hopeful.”
Long was 62 years old when he went missing.