The bodies of two men will be recovered from a submerged ute in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area this morning.
Police say the two men in their 50s were reported missing from the Griffith area yesterday morning, after leaving town on Saturday.
Their vehicle was found submerged at Hanwood yesterday evening when a man walking in the area reported seeing the ute upside down in a canal.
Murrumbidgee Police district commander Superintendent Craig Ireland said the men were believed to be friends and local residents.
He said it appeared the car had run off the road and crashed into the canal in a tragic accident.
"Our worst fears were confirmed when we had a look inside that car," he said.
Superintendent Ireland said there have not been any similar incidents on that stretch of road, but the surface had become slippery with recent rainfall.
"The road was particularly treacherous after the recent rainfall, and police and other emergency services had some difficulty getting to the location last night," he said.
Superintendent Ireland said the car will be removed this morning with assistance from the Volunteer Rescue Association.
"We'll need some heavy lifting equipment, a crane or the like, to get it out of there. I'm certain we'll be able to manage it."
He said the accident occurred on an unsealed road and it was a reminder to drive safely.
"You need to drive to the conditions. And after the recent rain … it's very slippery in the mud, so it's always worth being cautious," Superintendent Ireland said.
