Horror crash which killed four teenage boys was 'avoidable', inquest told

A devastating crash that saw the deaths of four teenage boys who were on a camping trip has been described as "avoidable". A major search was launched for Jevon Hirst, 16, Harvey Owen, 17, Wilf Fitchett, 17, and Hugo Morris, 18, after the A level students failed to return home to Shropshire from an overnight stay in Wales last year.

The boys had sadly drowned after the vehicle they were travelling in had left the A4085, overturned, and was partially submerged in water. Their bodies were discovered on November 21 after their car was spotted upside down in the ditch, 10ft away from the road.

An inquest today (October 16) heard a statement from Sion Griffiths, a passenger in a recycling lorry, who described the moment he saw the overturned Fiesta and looked on the North Wales Police's Facebook page to confirm it was the missing car and rang 999.

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Some camping equipment was just behind the submerged vehicle and the rear window was smashed, said Mr Griffiths.

North Wales Police forensic collision investigator Ian Thompson, giving evidence to an inquest in Caernarfon on Wednesday, said there was an "understeer" as the Fiesta, which was being driven by Mr Morris, took the bend.

He said the crash occurred at 11.43am on November 19 and Mr Morris' Fiesta had entered the bend at 25mph. The inquest heard the driver was not making any calls on his phone, reports WalesOnline.

It had been raining heavily in the days before the crash and according to Natural Resources Wales, water in the nearby river had risen by about one metre. The upside-down car would have been "fully submerged" in water, the coroner was told.

Mr Thompson said neither the rainy weather nor the road markings played any part in the cause of the crash. He added that police records dating back to 1994 showed no fatal or serious collisions on the bend. He said the fastest speed to negotiate the bend safely would be about 26mph. The speed limit for that stretch is 60mph.

The driving of Mr Morris was "significant" in the circumstances of the crash and the crash was "avoidable", found Mr Thompson. Mr Thompson said Mr Morris had been a "relatively new" driver having passed his test six months and 16 days before the crash.

The witness said he attended the scene at 1.15pm on November 21 and there were two "rolling tyre marks" on a 60-degree slope down off the road. He had also seen a Snapchat video posted by Wilf Fitchett earlier suggesting everyone was wearing a seatbelt.

A number of cars had negotiated the right-hand bend at Garreg without incident, according to CCTV. Mr Thompson said Mr Morris was driving while Jevon Hirst was the front-seat passenger, Harvey Owen was behind Mr Morris, and Wilf Fitchett was behind Jevon Hirst.

Philip Jones, a North Wales Police forensic vehicle examiner, said the vehicle's airbags were not deployed. All three rear seatbelts were cut which he says was likely done by emergency services to free the passengers and he said it was "likely" that all four young men were wearing their seatbelts. The inquest heard the car had passed its MOT and the handbrake lever was fully applied at the maximum 11th notch.

Mr Jones said it was his opinion that the handbrake was applied either as an 'emergency handle' or by the 999 crews. The two rear tyres were 54% and 52% "underinflated" respectively, said Mr Jones, adding that there were "dents and distortions" to the vehicle when it was moved the right way round.

The inquest heard the cause of death for all four teenagers was given as drowning. During the hearing, the families of all four paid tributes to their lost loved ones.

Heather Sanderson, the mother of Wilf Fitchett, said: "He was a well-liked boy at school. He was doing history, psychology, and English at sixth form college. He plays guitar at the music room. He fractured his wrist playing Scalextric. He could swim confidently.

"He had a corn snake and a pygmy hedgehog during his childhood. He had a temporary job as a shoe fitter at Clark's and also in a café."

She added: "The boys stayed in Harlech with Jevon's grandad. He messaged me to say he had enjoyed a full English breakfast. He was such good company with a sense of humour. We were blessed to have him in our lives for 17 years. We are proud to be his family."

Melanie Hirst, mother of Jevon Hirst, said: "Jevon liked to socialise with his friends. He was a very loving son. He loved the outdoors and going walking. He was very close to his grandfather and loved to visit him in Harlech."

Dominic Morris said of his son Hugo Morris: "Skiing was his passion. He loved understanding people and people exploring.

"He had started to take an interest in the wider world and its conflicts. He had a husky and loved The Lord of the Rings. Hugo had a thirst for life.

"He was confident – a giver of warmth, joy, and mirth. He rarely criticised others and loved he could sense people's emotions and connect with these. He had fallen in love with north Wales. His mum helped him pack the car.

"He was happy and looking forward to the weekend. The world is shattered, bent, and crooked now. We know what he went on to do would have been wonderful. We work, we have friends, and smile and try to channel Hugo in our daily actions. The smile, the humanity – he is impossible to forget."

A tribute to Harvey Owen said: "Harvey was charismatic and carefree. He had everything to live for. He was a trendsetter, unique, and an old soul. He was wise beyond his years. He was a chef at a local pizzeria.

"He wanted to open a café or take a pizza van to festivals and sell his pizzas. He had such a laidback lovable personality. We are now living in every parents' worst reality. We have to face a lifetime of grieving the life he should be living. The joy has gone from our lives."

The hearing continues.