36-year-old man died Friday night after his car veered off a rural road and into a canal south of Fresno, the California Highway Patrol said.

The crash happened around 9:20 p.m. on Chestnut Avenue, just north of North Avenue.

According to authorities, the man was driving a Mercury Milan southbound when the vehicle left the west side of the road for unknown reasons and became fully submerged in a nearby canal.

Witnesses told authorities the driver escaped the sinking car and was seen calling for help while struggling to stay afloat. Before rescue crews could arrive, he went under and did not resurface.

CHP officers, Fresno Fire’s Water Rescue Team, and a helicopter were deployed. About 40 minutes later, responders located the man approximately 80 feet downstream.

He was pulled from the water and received CPR before being taken to Community Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead roughly 30 minutes after arrival.

It is not yet known whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash. The investigation is ongoing.

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