Record low Danube rediscovered car stolen 13 years ago: 'I was crying'

A record-low water level in the Danube River has revealed the long-lost car of Hungarian retiree Imre Pasztor, which had been stolen 13 years ago. The Opel Corsa was discovered at the bottom of the river near the town of Szob in Hungary after firefighters retrieved it due to the unusually low water levels. Authorities suspect thieves may have pushed the vehicle into the river after stealing valuable parts in an attempt to cover their tracks. The discovery came as part of a broader phenomenon linked to the exceptionally low water levels in the Danube, which have exposed previously hidden objects along its banks. Firefighters were called to the scene after noticing remnants of a car submerged in the riverbed. Before extracting the vehicle, they had to remove dozens of fish that had taken residence inside the wreck over the years. Pasztor learned shortly afterward that his Corsa had indeed been found. "I loved that car very much," Pasztor told Blikk newspaper. He purchased the Opel Corsa 15 years before the theft from an elderly man in Budapest, describing it as nearly new. The car served him both for commuting to work and for professional tasks. However, he discovered the theft on a Friday morning in September 2013 when police informed him that his garage had been broken into during the night and his car was missing. Pasztor reported the incident to the police, but a month later he received notification that the investigation had been suspended, leaving him with no answers about who stole the car or why. In the intervening years, his family moved away, though their former home was just a hundred meters from the location where the car was recently found. Pasztor learned of the discovery through a friend who informed him that a car had been recovered from the river. Registration plates quickly confirmed it was his vehicle. "The emotions mixed within me were terrible, I even cried. It's still hard for me to talk about this. We were very attached to that car. A few days before the theft, I replaced many parts and spent a fortune on it. It’s possible someone found out about these parts and stole the car specifically because of them. Then, they probably decided the easiest way to get rid of it was to throw it into the river," Pasztor explained. Inside the wreckage, Pasztor’s bag was also found, containing a wallet. Now, he must arrange for the removal of the remaining car parts. The discovery has brought back painful memories for Pasztor, who had long since given up hope of ever seeing his car again. As the Danube continues to recede, more such revelations could follow, offering closure to others who have lost personal items to the river’s depths.