When tragedy struck in a quiet corner of North Wales

"Four inspiring lives have come to an end. The people of Harlech share your grief," wrote one wellwisher on a floral tribute for the loss of the "beautiful souls" last weekend. It was striking how intense and far reaching was the shock felt by millions at the loss of Hugo Morris, 18, Harvey Owen, 17, Wilf Fitchett, 17, and Jevon Hirst, 16, in a road accident on the A4085 near Nantmor between Rhyd Ddu and Beddgelert.

The Shrewsbury College A-level students' silver Ford Fiesta car had left the winding, narrow lane in atrocious weather[1] and flipped over, landing on its roof and becoming partly submerged in water. A bin lorry driver is believed to have noticed the upside down vehicle from his vantage point and raised the alarm - but it was too late to alter the outcome.

Locally, Plaid Cymru Cllr June Jones, of Glaslyn Ward, touchingly summed up the sentiments: "There are no words to convey the shock and the profound sadness at hearing the news, we send our deepest condolences to the families and friends of these young men."

But the lament was even echoed in Cardiff from First Minister Mark Drakeford, of Welsh Labour[4], to Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies and, in Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday from Rishi Sunak to Opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer.

It should all have been so different for the teenage friends. What we do know is that the young men had set off from Shrewsbury on Saturday for a camping trip in Eryri. They are believed to have stayed at Jevon's grandfather's home in Harlech, 76 miles away.

They were reported to have been "laughing" happily in a shop as they stocked up on coal and pasta. On Sunday they drove on into the national park but contact was lost with the boys by about midday around Porthmadog[5]. Relatives raised the alarm and a massive search began with multiple agencies scouring the autumnal countryside.

On Monday at 10am a member of the public contacted the police after noticing the Fiesta in a waterlogged ditch. North Wales Live has launched a WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone[6] Superintendent Owain Llewellyn confirmed the grim news to the media at an open air press conference in St Asaph[7] on Tuesday.

The car was "upside down and partially submerged in water," he said. Farmer Rhys Williams, of Garreg Hyll Drem Farm, and his wife Carys live near the crash site. As Carys held back tears, Mr Williams told the Mirror: "They were found by the recycling lorry at 10 that morning.

They were higher up, that's why they could see them. "The binman told us they had phoned the police. I could see the car but I didn't see anything else.

They must have been going from Harlech north towards Snowdonia[8]. This is one of two roads they could have taken. "There are no tracks on the road, nothing to be seen.

It's a sharp bend, it narrows. There were lots of leaves on that corner. There have been one or two accidents there before."

On Wednesday morning police are believed to have continued their search of the area using torches, which may have been for the boys' possessions including mobile phones.

Indeed on Wednesday afternoon observers watched as a huge North West Police Underwater Search and Marine Unit truck squeezed through the hamlet of Garreg near Llanfrothen, and head towards the crash site. After a vigil at the WWI and WWII war memorial in Garreg on Wednesday morning, Cllr Jones told how drivers felt "guilty" that they had passed the site without seeing the low lying car. Reverend Roland Barnes said the community was shocked and saddened.

Crystal Owen was reported to have told the BBC[9] she thought her son Harvey was visiting a friend's grandfather. If she had known they were going on a camping trip she would not have allowed her son to go because of the appalling weather conditions. Heartbreakingly, she added: "I feel like I'm in a nightmare I wish I could wake up from but I'm not."

Inquests into the deaths of the four friends will be opened in Caernarfon on Wednesday[10].

But regardless of the conclusions reached, one part of North Wales will never forget four young men.

References

1. ^ weather (www.dailypost.co.uk)
2. ^ Stalker who held Gwynedd mum at gunpoint to be released despite panel ruling it's unsafe (www.dailypost.co.uk)
3. ^ 'Confusing' new supermarket car park signs leave some threatening to boycott store (www.dailypost.co.uk)
4. ^ Labour (www.dailypost.co.uk)
5. ^ Porthmadog (www.dailypost.co.uk)
6. ^ WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone (www.dailypost.co.uk)
7. ^ St Asaph (www.dailypost.co.uk)
8. ^ Snowdonia (www.dailypost.co.uk)
9. ^ BBC (www.dailypost.co.uk)
10. ^ opened in Caernarfon on Wednesday (www.dailypost.co.uk)