Cars involved in tragic Aboyne crash removed from River Dee

By Reporter

January 19 2023, 5:31 pm

Police and an employee of Kinnoh's Garage (Recovery company) were at the River Dee to see whether the two cars can be recovered from the water. Image: DC Thomson.

The two cars involved in a tragic crash near Aboyne have been removed from the River Dee.

Dylan Atkinson died and another man was airlifted to hospital after their two cars plunged into the river on the outskirts of the Aberdeenshire town last month.

Both vehicles, a red Audi and black BMW, remained submerged for more than four weeks as water levels had been too high to remove them safely.

Recovery teams returned to the scene today to retrieve the vehicles. A crane was brought in to lift the cars from the water, with police divers also involved in the operation.

The vehicles are required to help with the investigation into the tragedy, which happened on December 19.

Officers were looking at the sunken car to establish whether water levels have dropped enough. Image: DC Thomson.

Mr Atkinson, 19, from Aboyne, died at the scene, while the 26-year-old driver of the BMW was airlifted to hospital.

Images from the scene at the time showed Mr Atkinson’s red Audi overturned and almost completely submerged, while the black BMW was on the riverbank wall.

Police have been trying to remove the vehicles from the water since, however, efforts have been hampered by the high water levels from melting snow upstream.

Marine and dive teams were seen battling the choppy waters on their kayaks following the crash to establish if either car can be recovered.