Three teenagers dead after car ploughs through barrier into River Wear
The victims, believed to be two teenage boys and a teenage girl, were recovered from the water by search and rescue teams on Tuesday
Three teenagers have died after the car they were travelling in ploughed through railings and entered the River Wear in Sunderland.
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The victims, believed to be two teenage boys and a teenage girl, were recovered from the water by search and rescue teams on Tuesday.
The 17-year-old driver of the vehicle, who survived the crash close to Wearmouth Bridge, has since been arrested and remains in custody.
Emergency services were called to the river at around 1.30pm on Tuesday.
No other vehicles are believed to have been involved in the incident.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson previously said: 'Shortly before 1.30pm today, we received a report of a car entering the River Wear near Monkwearmouth Bridge in Sunderland.
'Emergency services are currently at the scene.
'We would ask members of the public to avoid the area.'
A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: 'We received a call to 999 at 1.23pm today to reports of an incident involving a car entering the River Wear near Wearmouth Bridge in Sunderland.
'We sent to the scene an emergency ambulance, a clinical team leader, three officers, air ambulance and the full Hazardous Area Response Team (HART).
Chief Supt Scott Cowie, area commander for Sunderland, said: “This is a truly tragic incident where three young people have lost their lives.
“Our thoughts are with their families, friends and all those impacted by what has happened.
“We will continue to support them in any way that we can and ask that their privacy is respected at this time.
“I want to thank all of our partners who supported the multi-agency search efforts.”
He added that the investigation is at a “very early stage” and asked members of the public not to speculate about the incident.
Rescue teams composed of police, ambulance, the RNLI, the Coastguard and the fire and rescue service were involved in a multi-hour search of the river.
The search centred on an area around Panns Bank, on the Wear’s southern bank.
The Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) dispatched two fire engines and a fire boat to assist with the rescue operation.
A man, who did not wish to be identified, told the Press Association he heard a bang and a sound like a very large rock hitting water, followed shortly by sirens.
The next of kin of the three teenagers who died have been informed and are being supported by officers.