Teens who died in car which entered river named

On Tuesday afternoon at Panns Bank near Wearmouth Bridge in Sunderland, a black Audi A3 went off the road and plunged into the River Wear around 1:30 PM BST, resulting in the deaths of three teenagers. Four people were initially in the car; two teenage boys (Jackson Duke, 17, and Luke Etheridge, 16) from Sunderland, and Zara Shaw, 16, from Houghton-le-Spring. A fourth teen, a 17-year-old boy who managed to escape, was later arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Emergency services were quickly dispatched to the scene where they worked tirelessly but could not save the three teenagers whose tragic deaths sent shockwaves through the local community. Sunderland College, which the victims attended, released a statement expressing profound sadness and devastation over the loss of their students.

Families have since shared heartfelt tributes to the deceased teens, remembering Luke as a dedicated Sunderland fan who loved his dog Wilf, and Zara for her zest for life and infectious smile. The incident has sparked local mourning and reflections on community resilience in the face of such tragedy.