Three teenagers died on Tuesday afternoon after their car veered off the road and entered the River Wear near Sunderland’s Wearmouth Bridge, the police in Northumbria said.

A fourth person who escaped death has been arrested after sustaining minor injuries that were treated at a hospital. The 17-year-old survivor will be questioned by the police.

An ambulance, police, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the Coastguard were among the first responders to arrive at the accident scene.

“This is a truly tragic incident where three young people have lost their lives,” said chief superintendent Scott Cowie, area commander for Sunderland. “Our thoughts are with their families, friends and all those impacted by what has happened.”

Mr Cowie said the investigation was in its early stages and asked the public to be “mindful” of their comments. 

“Our investigation is at a very early stage in establishing the circumstances surrounding what has happened. We would ask members of the public not to speculate about the incident, both on social media and in the community,” Mr Cowie said. “Please be mindful of the potential impact such commentary could have on the families of those involved in this incident.”