Three people found dead in Cardiff car crash after group of five went missing

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Police searching for three women and two men reported missing after a night out in south Wales have found three of them dead following a car crash.

Two others have been taken to hospital with serious injuries after the crash in the St Mellons area of Cardiff.

The women, Sophie Russon, 20, Eve Smith, 21, and Darcy Ross, 21, were last seen in Cardiff in the early hours of Saturday, having travelled there from Porthcawl, police said. They had made the trip in a Volkswagen Tiguan with two men – Rafel Jeanne, 24, and Shane Loughlin, 32, from Cardiff – who had also been reported as missing.

There are fears the group may have been trapped for 48 hours.

Police have not confirmed the identities of the deceased but a family member who helped coordinate the search over the weekend said that her relative, Eve Smith, was one of those who died.

The women, from Newport, had gone to the Muffler club in the Maesglas area of the city late on Friday. They then travelled 36 miles to Trecco Bay, a caravan park in the seaside resort of Porthcawl, Bridgend county, with the two men, both from Cardiff, before last being seen back in the Cardiff area in the early hours of Saturday, about 15 minutes’ drive from the spot where the car was found.

People have started leaving floral tributes to those who died. There was growing concern in Cardiff and Newport at the length of time that passed before the car was found and claims that the police had not taken the five’s disappearance seriously enough. A police source admitted that some family members had criticised their response.

Gwent police said the case had been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), in line with procedures.

An IOPC spokesperson said: “We can confirm that Gwent police have advised us that they are making a referral in connection with this tragic incident and we will carry out an assessment in due course to determine what further action may be required from us.”

The spot where the car was found is just off a slip road leading to the A48 (M), one of the main routes into Cardiff, and close to a busy roundabout. It is close to housing estates, a garden centre and a business park.

But the car came to rest in a thicket of evergreen trees, which created a screen between the vehicle and the roads and houses. There are tyre tracks leading from the slip road deep into the thicket.

Police said the car was recovered soon after midnight on Monday but it is not yet clear when the crash happened. The force said early on Monday: “Following inquiries to locate five people who were reported as missing, officers have found the car they were last seen in, in the St Mellons area of Cardiff. The VW Tiguan was recovered just after midnight on Monday 6 March.

“It’s believed the car was involved in a road traffic collision and came off the A48. Three of those who were reported missing have been found deceased, two have been taken to hospital with serious injuries.”

The five had been to a nightclub in Maesglas, Newport, and were due to travel 40 miles (65km) on to the seaside spot of Trecco Bay in Porthcawl over the weekend.

Police have not identified who of the five has died but friends began to pay tribute to them on social media. Addressing one of the five, a friend said: “You were a real ray of sunshine, especially on my bad days.” The friend said of another: “Your heart was made of gold.”

One of the key focuses of the investigation will be when the car crashed – and how long the five may have been trapped in or near the car.

Over the weekend a relative of one of the five said she had scoured the streets of Newport and Cardiff because she did not feel the police were taking the disappearances seriously enough.

Police had earlier appealed for help to find them. Families of some of the missing people travelled to the area over the weekend to carry out their own searches.

After the crashed car was found, Gwent police said: “Specialist officers are supporting the families of those involved and inquiries are ongoing … The case has been referred to the IOPC in line with normal procedures.”

South Wales police said on Monday morning that there would be traffic disruption for some time. They tweeted: “We are at the scene of an ongoing incident on the roundabout that joins Eastern Avenue with Newport Road and the A48 in Cardiff. The road is currently closed in all directions. It is expected to remain closed for some time.”

Anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101, or send a direct message on social media, quoting 2300071791.