A young couple who vanished almost 12 years ago has been discovered dead in the Volga River in central Russia. Ilya Zhirnov, 25, and his girlfriend Kira Cherkasova, 22, disappeared in December 2005 without a trace.

Over a decade later, their remains were found in a car at the bottom of the Volga River in Cheboksary, located in the Chuvash Republic of central Russia.

Documents from the car—which had remained intact after more than a decade underwater—allowed police to identify the couple. The two were last seen in December 2005, when Mr. Zhirnov borrowed his father’s car to pick up Miss Cherkasova from work.

Police initially investigated their disappearance but were eventually forced to close the case due to insufficient evidence, leaving the families without answers about the young couple’s fate until now.

Find: The car was discovered by a diving enthusiast, who reported his find to the local police

Identified: Car documents – which had survived more than a decade underwater – enabled police to identify the couple

A local diving enthusiast, whose name has not been disclosed, discovered the couple’s car in the river while exploring waters near a local beach. He reported his find to the police, who retrieved the car from the river the next day.

Answers: Nearly 12 years after the couple’s disappearance, their families finally know what happened to them

Officers suspect the couple’s death was accidental, possibly caused by icy roads near the river leading to their tragic fate. The police investigation is ongoing, and the findings will be released in due course.