Wilmington mayor: Deaths of 4 teens 'tragic loss'

WILMINGTON, Ill. (AP) — The mayor of Wilmington says the deaths of four high school students whose car skidded off a bridge into an icy creek are a "tragic loss."

Wilmington Mayor Marty Orr says residents have dealt with tragedy before, but not "at this magnitude." Police say the high school students' car was found in the creek Tuesday morning just outside Wilmington. They had been missing since Monday.

Wilmington School District Superintendent Jay Plese (PLEE' see) confirmed the two female and two male victims were Wilmington High School students. He says the district is "deeply saddened" and he has a "heavy heart." The mayor says members of the rural northern Illinois community will "lean on one another."

The identifications of the students have not yet been released.