CNBNews

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge - Tunnel, connects Virginia's Eastern Shore with the Virginia mainland at Virginia Beach near Norfolk.

PORTSMOUTH, Va.(CNBNews)(December 29, 2020)-- — The Coast Guard, Virginia Marine Resource Commission, local police, and fire departments are searching for a person in the water after their tractor-trailer crashed off the side of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel northbound, Tuesday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Virginia Command Center received a relayed 911 notification at approximately 8:30 a.m., regarding a tractor-trailer that crashed through the southbound side of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and went into the water.

Witnesses reported seeing a man exit the tractor-trailer and drift west.

Sector Virginia watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast for mariners to keep a lookout for the man.

Searching are:

* A 45-foot Response Boat-medium boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Cape Charles
* The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hawk
* An MH-60 Jawyhawk helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C.
* Boatcrews from Virginia Marine Resource Commission
* Shore crews from local police and fire departments

There is no current impact to the waterways from debris or pollution at this time.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the man are asked to call the Sector Virginia command center at (757) 483-8567.