Truck falls off Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and crashes into water with urgent hunt for driver of tractor trailer

AN urgent search is underway for a driver after a truck tumbled off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and slammed into the water in Virginia.

The crash happened around 1.50pm at the 1 MP northbound with witnesses saying the truck went over the side of the CBBT.

The status of the driver is unclear at this time but the Coast Guard said there is an active search underway.

Small boats have been deployed in the search by the Coast Guard and a helicopter is also at the scene.

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Two boats from the Joint Expeditionary Base-Little Creek have been deployed as well.

Bystanders claimed that a good samaritan jumped into the waters to help the driver but those reports are unconfirmed at this time.

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A single lane of traffic is open for drivers traveling northbound and the speed limit has been lowered to 35 mph.

The circumstances of the crash are under investigation.

There was damage done to the guardrail of the bridge, along with curb damage, said officials.

Crews are working to make emergency repairs.

Joseph Sanabria told WTKR that he was on the way home from work when he saw all the flashing lights and realized traffic had slowed down.

"Being here 25 years, I'm thinking, maybe twice, I've heard of it, seen it on the news, but never driving home, pulling over and seeing it first hand," he said, calling the incident "gut-wrenching."

"I'm almost 60, and there are some things in life you just don't want to see because you know you'll never get over, and these are one of those things."