A dozen vehicles recovered from the Detroit River

The cars were removed from the river at the request of a real estate developer whose land overlooks the watercourse. Vehicles had accumulated in front of the lot over time.

We find cars from the 1980sexplains Peter Berry, port director at the Windsor Port Authority, who attended the recovery of the vehicles.

We found a Volkswagen Rabbit, a Cadillac, pickup trucks and even a construction trailer.

The Detroit River forms the natural border between Canada and the United States at this location. The excavations were carried out on the Canadian side of the waterway, on the banks of the historic Sandwich district. (new window)

French cannons, firearms and prohibition

It is currently unknown why and how these vehicles ended up in the waters of the river at this location. The presence of vehicles has been well known for years thanks to divers. The river has long been known as a place where people get rid of bulky or prohibited items.

Cannons dating from French colonization in the region have also been discovered in the water, said Peter Berry in an interview with CBC in 2022. Prohibition-era bottles and guns have also been found in the river.

The port authority will also work with the police to try to identify the vehicles. They will also seek to establish links between found weapons and certain unsolved crimes.

Cleaning opportunity

The Windsor Port Authority is present during clean-up activities to ensure that there is no environmental damage during the work. Peter Berry lists the dangers as follows: Automobiles have gas tanks, engines with oil, steering fluids and batteries. The goal is to avoid leaks.

There had been no environmental damage observed as of Tuesday afternoon. This kind of underwater cleaning is rarely done.

With information from CBC