Crash inquest into deaths of four teenage boys

Four teenage boys drowned successful an overturned car erstwhile it crashed connected a camping travel successful northbound Wales, an inquest has heard.

Hugo Morris, 18, Harvey Owen, 17, Wilf Fitchett, 17, and Jevon Hirst, 16, each from Shrewsbury, died erstwhile their car near a agrarian roadworthy successful Gwynedd past November.

It flipped connected to its extortion successful a flooded ditch, leaving the 4 A-level students trapped.

Crash investigators told the proceeding successful Caernarfon that the car driven by Hugo had entered a crook 'in excess" of the velocity needed to get astir safely.

The teenagers had been visiting Eryri National Park, besides known arsenic Snowdonia, erstwhile they acceptable disconnected from Harlech on19 November to walk the nighttime camping.

But the Ford Fiesta being driven by Hugo near the A4085 roadworthy adjacent the villages of Garreg and Llanfrothen.

The crashed car could not beryllium seen from the roadworthy and led to a monolithic 2 time hunt to find the boys.

The inquest was told that a passing garbage recycling motortruck spotted the upturned car portion connected its circular connected the Tuesday morning.

All 4 students were recovered dormant successful the car.

The inquest was told that post-mortem examinations revealed nary of them had immoderate interior oregon outer injuries, and had died arsenic a effect of drowning.

Giving grounds to the hearing, clang investigators for North Wales Police said determination were "no catastrophic mechanical failures" with the car.

However, some rear tyres were lone fractional the required inflated unit for carrying 4 people.

Crash researcher Ian Thompson said successful his view, Hugo had driven into a crook connected the roadworthy excessively fast, which led to the conveyance leaving the road.

He said helium calculated the maximum theoretical velocity astir the crook was 38mph.

But helium added: "Having driven the crook myself the fastest velocity I felt comfy negotiating the crook was 26mph."

He said the Ford Fiesta had entered that crook astatine a velocity that was successful excess of the bounds to negociate it, adjacent though that whitethorn good person been beneath the road's 60mph limit.

Mr Thompson said the actions of Hugo Morris needed to beryllium considered successful the accident.

While it had been raining heavily, with leafage screen connected the road, the researcher said helium did not see upwind conditions played a relation successful the collision.

But helium said successful his view, the clang "was avoidable".

Tributes were work retired to each the boys by the coroner.

Harvey's parent Crystal said helium was "perfect from the infinitesimal helium came into the satellite and continued to beryllium until helium was tragically taken from us".

"Harvey had the biggest, warmest grin that radiated emotion and calmness and a contagious affirmative energy," she said.

Heather Sanderson, Wilf's mother, said she was "very proud" of her son, who was "so benignant and had a beauteous consciousness of humour".

"I volition miss him for the remainder of my life."

In a connection the parent of Jevon said helium was "happiest erstwhile helium was astatine location with his family".

"He was truly adjacent to his household and was loved," said Melanie Hirst.

The parents of Hugo said their lad had a "thirst for life".

"No words tin explicit our loss," said Dominic and Sarah Morris.

"Our satellite is shattered, bent and cracked.

"He is intolerable to forget."

The inquest is continuing.