Body Recovered Near Mt. Hope Bridge

Update posted 2:38 p.m. on Jan. 30:

Bristol Police Deputy Chief Steven Contente confirmed that the body of a 79-year-old female from Bristol was found in the waters near the Mount Hope Bridge on Wednesday morning.

Her identity has not been released.

Contente said the woman was unresponsive after rescue personnel pulled her from the water, and was pronounced dead at Rhode Island Hospital later in the morning.

Her car was towed from the bridge, Contente noted.

Update, posted at 1 p.m. on Jan. 30:

According to East Bay Newspapers, witnesses reported seeing a woman leave her car on the bridge.

The eastbayri.com Web site noted that crews recovered the body about 200 yards west of the bridge.

Original story, posted at 12:01 pm on Jan. 30:

Bristol Police and members of the Marine Task Force responded to an area near the Mount Hope Bridge this morning and recovered a body from the water, Deputy Chief Steven Contente confirmed.

During a phone interview just before noontime, Contente said police are not releasing the name of the deceased, pending notification of family.

A motorist contacted police around 11 am to report finding the body in the water; rescue personnel brought the deceased to Rhode Island Hospital.

The Rhode Island Breaking News Source Twitter feed reported that the "person possibly jumped from the Mount Hope Bridge."