Sunderland teenagers killed after car plunges into River Wear

Three teenagers have died after their car crashed through a barrier and plunged into the River Wear in Sunderland. The victims have been identified as 17-year-old Jackson Duke, and 16-year-olds Luke Etheridge and Zara Shaw.

The incident occurred near Panns Bank and Wearmouth Bridge at approximately 1:30 PM on Tuesday. The vehicle, a black Audi A3, was reportedly carrying four occupants. A 17-year-old passenger managed to reach safety with non-serious injuries and has since been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He remains in police custody as investigations continue to determine who was driving at the time of the crash.

The accident triggered a major multi-agency rescue operation involving Northumbria Police, firefighters, paramedics, the coastguard, and RNLI crews. Sunderland College confirmed that the three victims were students at their Bede Campus and expressed deep sorrow over the loss. Chief Superintendent Scott Cowie, the Area Commander for Sunderland, described the event as “truly tragic” and urged the public to respect the privacy of the grieving families.