The cause of death for a teenager who died alongside two others when a car entered the River Wear was "consistent with drowning", an inquest has heard. Jackson Duke, 17, died together with Luke Etheridge and Zara Shaw, both aged 16, when an Audi A3 plunged into the river in Sunderland city centre on September 29.
Inquest opening hearing
An inquest opening hearing took place for Jackson, with further hearings for Luke and Zara due to be held later on Monday. Sunderland senior coroner David Place offered his condolences to Jackson's parents who were present at the seven-minute hearing. Mr Place described it as "a tragic loss for the whole of the city".
Coroner's officer Vicky Ross provided the background to the incident and said Northumbria Police were alerted to the Panns Bank area of Sunderland on the afternoon of September 29 after reports that four people in the car had entered the Wear. She said one of the occupants had "self-extricated", but the other three, including Jackson, "tragically could not" and were discovered later by divers, still inside the Audi.
Investigation ongoing
Ms Ross said: "The circumstances surrounding the incident are subject to an ongoing investigation by Northumbria Police." Mr Place said the provisional cause of death suggested by the post-mortem examination was "likely to be consistent with drowning".
The coroner adjourned the hearing until January 21 next year. At Sunderland's Premier League fixture against Brighton on Saturday, supporters and players honoured the teenagers, who were students at Sunderland College. Prior to kick-off, players gathered around the centre circle while fans observed a minute's applause. Sunderland players also wore black armbands throughout the match.
