Four missing persons found dead in dike; tragic accident, police believe

Four people were found dead in the water on Berkmeerdijk in Obdam on Sunday. They were identified as four workers for Borst Bloembollen in the town, who were missing since Friday. The police believe they crashed their car into the dike in a tragic accident, NU.nl reports.

The victims are three men aged 20, 21 and 21, and a 47-year-old woman, all from Poland. "Everything points to a tragic accident", a police spokesperson said to NU.nl. 

The four victims were last seen in their car on Friday. They were reported missing on Saturday, after which the police launched a search. Their bodies were found on Sunday, when officers searching the routes the four could have driven noticed a car in the water. 

Everyone at the flower bulb company is devastated by the news of their colleagues' deaths, Elly Borst, the owner's sister, said to NOS. "Everyone is deeply affected", she said. About half of the company's 80 employees are migrant workers from Poland. "Most of them already knew each other, but here they formed a very close community."

The police are investigating the cause of the accident. According to Borst, the four victims had no alcohol with them when they finished their shifts at 11:00 p.m. on Friday. "We have a strict alcohol policy."

The company called in Victim Support for the rest of its employees. "There is an opportunity for everyone to talk to each other." On Monday the company will hold a meeting, where they will inform the staff about what they know so far.