An elderly woman died this morning after her car plunged into the rock river.

72 year old Doris Portner of Rock Falls was pronounced dead at Rockford Memorial earlier today after being rescued from the Rock River. Witnesses say Portner's car veered off Route Two between Byron and Oregon and landed in the river.

She was trapped inside her car, underwater for more than 40 minutes. Portner was rescued by several dive teams and airlifted to a local hospital however, she did not survive.