A SOUTHEND student died of multiple injuries after the van he was a passenger in hit a tree, an inquest has heard.

The inquest, into the death of William Andrews, 18, a student at South Essex College’s Southend campus, heard he died after the driver of the Ford Escort van lost control.

A 21-year-old man from the Chelmsford area, arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving while unfit through drink or drugs, has been bailed until next week.

Neither the police nor the coroner could confirm whether the man arrested was driving the van.

A spokeswoman for the coroner’s office said: “Mr Andrews was a passenger in a vehicle. The driver lost control, left the road and struck a tree.

“A post-mortem examination was carried out. The provisional cause of death given was multiple injuries.”