04/29/2026
MAINE — A decades-old mystery is unfolding after a car was discovered at the bottom of Sebago Lake, leaving investigators searching for answers.
The vehicle, identified as a 1974 Camaro Z28, was found roughly 55 feet underwater in a channel between Frye Island and the mainland by underwater explorer Jason Smith. The car had no license plates, its windows were open, and the only item inside appeared to be remnants of an old tent.
Smith, who regularly scans Maine lakes using underwater drone technology, said he initially spotted what looked like a shadow before realizing it was a fully submerged car sitting on the lake floor.
Authorities with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office have since launched an investigation. Detectives were able to recover a partial VIN from the vehicle and, with help from the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles, reconstructed the full identification number in hopes of tracking down the original owner.
Officials say there are no records suggesting the car fell from a ferry, leading to speculation that it may have broken through the ice decades ago. Exactly when or how it ended up in the lake remains unknown.
When a salvage crew attempted to recover the vehicle, years of corrosion caused it to break apart due to its fragile condition after sitting underwater for so long.
Investigators say they are continuing efforts to identify the car’s history and determine what led to it ending up at the bottom of one of Maine’s largest and deepest lakes. 👀🌊🚗
📷: Jason Smith
