DURHAM – The discovery of a van submerged in the Androscoggin River at the Durham boat launch on Route 136 at 6:45 a.m. Saturday prompted a river search for possible victims, but no one was found.

Androscoggin Deputy Sheriff Maurice Drouin, the investigating officer, said the 1999 GMC Excaliber conversion van was reported stolen in Sagadahoc County earlier this week by a Bowdoin resident.

Sgt. Dale Hamilton of the Sagadahoc Sheriff’s Department said the van was stolen Wednesday night or early Thursday morning from 297 West Road in Bowdoin and was reported missing by Lisa VanZile at 5 a.m. Thursday. The vehicle has been impounded for processing, Sgt. Hamilton said.

According to fire Lt. Milt Simon, the van was spotted by a fisherman putting his boat into the water. Simon, the first to arrive at the scene, reported the van was “about 99-percent submerged” with only the upper rear corner showing. He speculated it had been there for awhile because there was mud on the roof.

After determining there was no one in the van, Durham Fire and Rescue, under the command of Lt. Bill Thatcher, initiated a search of the river with its rescue boat, north to the former Auburn Skeet Club and south to the Bell Farm field in Durham.

The Fire Department began the vehicle recovery effort sending three swimmers in dry suits into the water. They broke a window and attached a cable to a winch on the forestry truck and were able to get the van turned around. While being removed by Fern’s wrecker, the van “totally submerged” but they were able to remove it directly from the water onto the tow truck, Simon said. The DEP was called to the scene due to gas spilling into the water.

Also at the scene, in addition to two sheriff’s deputies, 18 Durham fire personnel, a forestry truck, one fire engine, Durham Fire and Rescue ambulance, were the Androscoggin dive team, a forest ranger and a representative of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.