Three teenagers have died after a black Audi A3 came off the road and entered the River Wear in Sunderland, Northumbria Police said, while a 17-year-old boy who reached safety was arrested in connection with the incident.
The car entered the water near Panns Bank, close to Wearmouth Bridge, at around 1.30pm. Police said four people were in the vehicle at the time.
Following a multi-hour search, rescue teams recovered the bodies of two teenage boys and a teenage girl from the river. Their next of kin have been informed and are being supported by officers.
The surviving teenager is in hospital with non-serious injuries, police said. He has been arrested in connection with the incident.
The search operation involved Northumbria Police, ambulance teams, the RNLI, the Coastguard and the fire and rescue service. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service dispatched two fire engines and a fire boat, while teams searched an area around Panns Bank on the southern bank of the Wear.
Chief Superintendent Scott Cowie, area commander for Sunderland, described the incident as “truly tragic” and said the force’s thoughts were with the families, friends and others affected.
“Our thoughts are with their families, friends and all those impacted by what has happened,” he said. “We will continue to support them in any way that we can and ask that their privacy is respected at this time.”
Mr Cowie thanked the partner agencies involved in the search and said the investigation was at a “very early stage”. He also asked members of the public not to speculate about what happened.
A man who did not wish to be identified told the Press Association that he heard a bang and a sound like “a very large rock hitting water”, followed shortly by sirens.
The incident was reported by the Press Association, based on information provided by Northumbria Police and comments from those involved in or close to the response. Police have not provided further details about the circumstances in which the car left the road.
