Northumbria Police are continuing their investigation after three teenagers died when an Audi A3 they were travelling in left the road and entered the River Wear in Sunderland.

A 17-year-old boy who was also in the car at the time of the crash has been arrested and remains in police custody. Officers said the vehicle, a black Audi A3, was reported to have left the road at Panns Bank near Wearmouth Bridge and gone into the river at around 1.30pm on Tuesday. Four people were in the car when the incident happened.

Following an extensive search, the bodies of two teenage boys and a teenage girl were recovered from the water later that evening. The 17-year-old who survived managed to get himself to safety and was taken to hospital with injuries described as non-serious before he was arrested.

Chief Superintendent Scott Cowie, Northumbria Police's area commander for Sunderland, described the incident as "truly tragic," saying three young people had lost their lives. He said the force's thoughts were with the families and friends of those killed, as well as everyone affected by the incident, and pledged continued support for them. He also thanked partner agencies who took part in the search effort and asked the public to respect the privacy of those involved, urging people not to speculate about what happened.

The search and rescue operation involved police, ambulance crews, the RNLI, the Coastguard and fire and rescue services over several hours. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service sent two fire engines and a fire boat, while the North East Ambulance Service deployed three ambulances, a hazardous area response team and an air ambulance. The next of kin of the three teenagers who died have since been informed and are being supported by officers.

The tragedy comes just a week after police chiefs warned that more than 23,000 people have been killed or seriously injured in incidents involving drivers aged 17 to 24 over the past five years. Department for Transport figures covering 2021 to 2025 showed 7,500 crashes in which the driver fell into that age bracket, 4,000 involving passengers being driven by a young driver, and 11,600 involving other road users, including pedestrians and people in other vehicles. Young drivers are involved in roughly a fifth of all road accidents resulting in death or serious injury.

Northumbria Police have appealed for anyone with information, particularly CCTV or dashcam footage, to come forward via social media or through the force's website using its live chat and reporting forms.

Source: The Independent

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