Body recovered of motorist who eluded police by jumping into a pond

Emergency services workers found the remains of a driver who disappeared on Monday when he jumped into a pond off Stuifkensweg in Maastricht. The body of the 43-year-old man from Buchten was recovered on Tuesday. Rescuers had tried in vain to find him shortly after he went missing.

He was seen driving the wrong way on the A2 near Maastricht on Monday morning. Police patrol cars tried unsuccessfully to force the man to stop. He took off, and was spotted driving on a sidewalk in Buchten. Police officers tried again to intervene, at which point he fled.

The man allegedly then drove his car into a marshy meadow in Itteren, where his car became stuck. The man then got out of the vehicle, and ran into a chilly pond.

He turned up again in the middle of the pond, where there is an island. There he ignored calls from the police, and soon disappeared underwater, but he never resurfaced. Emergency services launched a major search and rescue operation to find the man, but their efforts were in vain. The area around the pond was cordoned off on Tuesday to came unwanted visitors out, and to allow divers to conduct a search.

It is not yet clear what role the police played in the events leading up to the man's drowning. Initially, police said they took part in a pursuit, but later said a police-involved chase never happened.

"Out of respect for the relatives, we will not make any further announcements. The investigation is closed," police in Limburg said.