Boy arrested over river deaths of three Sunderland teenagers released on bail

A boy who was arrested in connection with the deaths of three young people in a river in Sunderland, England, has since been released on bail. The case has left the city and a local college community in mourning, as all three who died were students at the same institution.

Police statement

Ch Supt Scott Cowie, the area commander for Sunderland, said the past 24 hours had brought unimaginable agony and heartbreak to the loved ones of the three victims, named as Luke, Jackson and Zara. He said all three had their whole futures ahead of them and would be hugely missed. Cowie added that the tragedy had affected not only people in Sunderland but also those further afield, and he urged the community to continue supporting one another through this difficult time.

College mourns students

A spokesperson for Sunderland College said on Wednesday that the institution was "deeply saddened" by the deaths of three of its students. In a statement posted on Facebook, the college described the loss as heartbreaking for both the college community and the wider city of Sunderland.

Further details about the circumstances that led to the three deaths in the river, and the grounds for the boy's arrest and subsequent release on bail, have not yet been made public.