SUNDERLAND — Northumbria Police have officially identified the three teenagers who tragically lost their lives after the car they were traveling in plunged into the River Wear earlier this week. The victims have been named as 17-year-old Jackson Duke, and 16-year-olds Luke Etheridge and Zara Shaw.
The devastating incident occurred shortly before 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, when a black Audi A3 veered off the road at Panns Bank, near the iconic Wearmouth Bridge in Sunderland, and entered the water. Emergency services, including police, fire crews, and ambulance teams, were scrambled to the riverbank in a desperate rescue operation, but the victims could not be saved.
According to police reports, Jackson Duke and Luke Etheridge were both residents of Sunderland, while Zara Shaw resided in the nearby town of Houghton-le-Spring, approximately seven miles from where the tragedy unfolded.
A fourth teenager, a 17-year-old boy who was also inside the vehicle, managed to escape the car and reach safety. Following the incident, police confirmed that he has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He remains in police custody as investigators continue their inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The scene at Panns Bank remains a focal point for the ongoing investigation. Specialist recovery teams and forensic collision investigators have been working to determine exactly how the vehicle left the roadway and entered the river. Officials have stated that establishing the sequence of events leading up to the crash, including confirming who was behind the wheel at the time of the incident, remains a priority for the force.
The local community in Sunderland and the surrounding areas has been left in deep shock following the loss of the three young lives. Flowers and tributes have already begun to appear near the site of the crash as friends and family attempt to come to terms with the sudden tragedy.
“This is an incredibly difficult time for the families of those involved, and our thoughts remain with them,” a spokesperson for Northumbria Police said in a statement. “We are working tirelessly to provide them with the answers they need, and we urge anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who has dashcam footage of the area around the time of the crash to come forward.”
Police are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with relevant information regarding the vehicle’s movements prior to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday to contact them immediately. As the investigation enters its next phase, the focus remains on piecing together the final moments before the car left the road, an effort authorities describe as complex and sensitive.
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