Four boys found in car after camping trip confirmed to have drowned

The four teenagers who were found dead in an overturned car drowned after the vehicle they were travelling in left a road in North Wales, a coroner has said.

The inquests into the deaths of Jevon Hirst, 16, Harvey Owen, 17, Wilf Fitchett, 17, and Hugo Morris, 18, all from the Shropshire area, were opened and adjourned today.

None of the teenagers’ families attended the brief four-minute hearing in which Kate Robertson, HM Coroner for North West Wales, stated the provisional cause of their deaths was drowning.

PA

The teens’ families reported them missing after they didn't return home from an overnight camping trip to Snowdonia, North Wales earlier this month.

A search was launched for the four teenagers, but it ended in tragedy on 21 November, when their bodies were recovered from an overturned Ford Fiesta on the A4085 at Garreg, near Tremadog.

Superintendent Owain Llewellyn said: “Police officers attended and located a Ford Fiesta vehicle on its roof, partially submerged in water.

“Tragically, the bodies of four young males were recovered from within the vehicle.

“The families of the missing boys have been informed.

“At present, this appears to have been a tragic accident, and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the four young men at this very difficult time.

PA

"This has been an extensive search involving a number of different agencies and volunteers, and this is sadly not the outcome that any of us would have wanted.

"We would ask that the family be afforded the appropriate privacy and respect."

Following the tragic news, Harvey’s mother Crystal Owen described him as 'a unique and special person who touched so many people along the way'.

She said: "I know it sounds like a cliche, but Harvey was a unique and special person who touched so many people along the way.

"Laid back, charismatic, cheeky, a boy not of his time, he always thought outside the box, he was creative and funny.

"The fact that Harvey will always be 17 is unbearable to think of and even harder to accept.

"I’ve lost my boy, the boy I absolutely adored, and I can’t accept that I won’t be able to hold him again or tell him I love him again."

Wilf’s girlfriend, Maddi Corfield, posted a tribute online, writing: “I love you so much, I’m going to miss you forever.

“The sweetest and most loving boy I’ve ever known. I hope you know how much I love you, gorgeous.”