Durham Student Rescued From River “Lucky To Be Alive” Following Deaths Of Three Others

    Three students have drowned in the river in the last 14 months.

    A student from Durham University has been treated for hypothermia after being rescued from the River Wear in the early hours of Friday morning.

    The incident comes a week after the body of another Durham student, Euan Coulthard, was found in the river.

    The university today provided BuzzFeed News with this statement sent round to students in the wake of the recent incident:

    In the early hours of this morning (Friday) the emergency services rescued a Durham University student from the River Wear. Thankfully the student is safe and well.

    We cannot over-emphasise the seriousness of this incident. According to the police the student is very lucky to be alive.

    The University and the Students' Union this week committed to working with our partners to put in place a number of safety measures.

    However, there are actions you personally can and must take to ensure your safety and that of your friends:

    * Ensure you drink responsibly

    * Do not walk home by the river at night

    * Do not walk home alone, and do not let your friends walk home alone

    The university also emphasised that it is working with its partner organisations to address river safety.

    A meeting involving PCC Ron Hogg and MP Roberta Blackman-Woods is set to take place next week to discuss the issue.

    A number of students and locals have been calling on the council to address the issue of poor lighting and a lack of CCTV and barriers along the River Wear following the recent deaths.

    A petition demanding better security measures has even been backed by the prime minister, David Cameron.