Although the women's vehicle jumped a curb in Newark, bowled across an embankment and into the river, they were still alive when they hit the water.
At least one of the occupants made a frantic phone call for help from the sinking vehicle. And a local resident who tried to free them by climbing on the car in the river said they were all screaming for help.
But hours passed before the bodies of Nicole Floyd, 34, Gail Williams, 35, and Monique Hawkins, 39, were pulled from the river.
"This is an awful tragedy . . . They need to learn how to rescue people on time," said Hawkins' dad, J.D. Davis, 65.
Police said the victims - who had called a friend who then called police - were confused about their location. That made it difficult for rescuers to pinpoint the accident site.
A witness said he heard the crash just before 4:30 a.m. and called Newark cops.
They, in turn, notified the Fire Department, but it doesn't have divers.
A scuba team from nearby Wallington was eventually called - but not until after 5 a.m.
Newark police officials said rescues are the responsibility of the Fire Department, which was on the scene within three minutes of being called and minutes after the 911 call to cops. A spokesman for the NFD could not be reached for comment.
"Despite a quick and determined response by emergency personnel, according to preliminary information gathered from the scene, due to the depth of the water and the rapid descent into the river, a successful rescue would have required a dive team in the water at the location and time of the incident," said Newark Police Director Anthony Ambrose III.
Floyd's aunt Clara Tutten watched as a towing unit pulled the four-door SUV out of the water.
"I think they could have done better with what they did trying to rescue them," Tutten said.
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