A California priest and his female friend missing since early June were found dead in their vehicle Sunday afternoon.

"For the family, it's just a lot of sadness, because David had a lot still to give in life, but it's a relief," the priest's brother-in-law, Tom Mulligan, said.

A Civil Air Patrol Plane spotted the 2005 Maroon Toyota Corolla belonging to Father David Schwartz and Cheryl Gibbs down a ravine near where Highway 26 intersects with Highway 53 near in Clatsop County, said Deputy Don Taylor with the Tillamook County Sheriff's Office. The pair were found dead inside.

Police say the vehicle apparently was headed eastbound on Highway 26 near milepost 26 when, for an unknown reason, it went across the centerline and westbound lane.

 Video: Raw Sky-8 video of search area

The Toyota went off the north side of the highway and down a steep, heavily wooded embankment. The car was resting on its wheels about 20 yards down the embankment and had front end damage. There were no skid marks or other indications to indicate it took evasive action before driving off the highway. Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin said it appeard the pair were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.

The bodies were taken to a mortuary in Seaside where the families will be able to make funeral arrangements. The vehicle was also impounded by the Clatsop County Sheriff's office and taken to a facility in Seaside.

Tip leads to break in search

Portland Police detectives learned on Friday that the missing pair were believed to have traveled to the Tillamook Cheese Factory the day they were last seen.

Family members of the missing pair stopped by the popular tourist stop Friday afternoon and discovered that Cheryl Gibbs had signed the guest registry on June 8, 2007.

The family members immediately notified police, who contacted the Tillamook Cheese Factory to verify the information.

Police learned on Saturday that Schwartz and Gibbs were spotted in Wheeler Oregon and stopped at a vineyard in nearby Nehalem Bay before disappearing. They apparently ordered coffee and asked for directions to Portland. Deputies said they were given three possible routes back to the city.

The pair were first reported missing when they failed to return to a Portland hotel a week after checking in.

Background: Priest's mom hikes into Ore. wilderness looking for son