A tragic accident claimed the life of 18-year-old Declan Berry after his car plunged into the River Nene in Wisbech St Mary, Cambridgeshire, on March 17. Declan, the driver of the blue Volkswagen Polo, was traveling with four other passengers when the vehicle left the road and became fully submerged in the tidal river.
Following the crash, emergency responders recovered the vehicle five days later. Sadly, the body of 16-year-old Eden Bunn was retrieved from the water the day after the incident. Three survivors—a man aged 18 and two girls aged 16—escaped the vehicle and sustained injuries.
Declan’s body remained missing for two weeks as search teams scoured miles of the river. He was eventually found in the River Nene near Wisbech on March 31.
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At the inquest hearing held on May 28 in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area coroner Simon Milburn confirmed that the provisional cause of death was immersion and drowning. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding this tragic event continues, with the inquest adjourned to August 17, 2026.
Declan’s older brother, Connor, described him as “full of life and always joking.” Declan was preparing to join the army later this summer, following a recruitment trial in Birmingham. A hardworking young man with a passion for cars, Declan also worked alongside his brother in their garden services business. Just days before the accident, Connor posted a birthday tribute on social media, featuring a photo of Declan in his beloved blue Volkswagen Polo.
Coroner Simon Milburn extended his condolences to Declan’s family and friends during the hearing, emphasizing the profound loss felt by the community.