Four bodies were found in a car during a hunt for four teenagers who went missing on a camping trip. A major search operation was launched to find friends Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen, Wilf Henderson and Hugo Morris.
The four boys, from Shrewsbury, were believed to be in the Harlech and Porthmadog area for the trip, WalesOnline reports. However the alarm was raised when they failed to return home when planned on Sunday, November 19.
They were travelling in a silver Ford Fiesta with the registration HY14 GVO, which was discovered by North Wales Police earlier today (Tuesday, November 21). The force said there 'appears to have been a tragic accident'.
READ MORE: Families 'frantic with worry' as four teenagers go missing during camping trip
Supt Owain Llewelyn said: "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. 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."
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Key Events
Surname clarification
'It’s not what we prayed for'
The BBC have today reported that the vicar of Shelton and Oxon in Shrewsbury, Reverend Charlotte Gompertz said: “It’s the worst news. It’s not what we prayed for when we heard they were missing.
“It’s impacting everyone, this is a tight-knit community where many of the young people have been at school together since they were four years old. This is utterly devastating for us.”
She added that people were already paying tribute to the boys. “We opened the doors and just gave people some space,” she said.
Investigation underway as communities grieve
Candles will be lit at the Pipe Makers Arms in Broseley, Shropshire, this evening (Wednesday) in memory of the teens. Staff wrote on Facebook: "Our family knew some of the boys and we know that this news really has saddened so many of you in our community therefore we will be lighting candles at the Pipe Makers tomorrow evening and you are welcome to join and light a candle if you wish."
North Wales Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding what was described yesterday in a statement to the public as a "tragic accident". Superintendent Owain Llewellyn confirmed at a brief press conference outside the St Asaph headquarters of the force that the boys silver Ford Fiesta left the road on the A4085 at Garreg, near Tremadog and was found "upside down" and "partially submerged in water".
Mum describes 'nightmare' that won't 'go away'
Crystal Owen, the mum of Harvey Owen, posted a message on her small business' Facebook page - Crystal's Cupcakes - earlier this morning. She penned: "I feel like I’m in a nightmare I wish I could wake up from but I’m not.
"I just wanted to say I do appreciate people’s kindness but no amount of messages is going to help me overcome this. Nothing will make this nightmare go away." The post added that she planned to keep her Shrewsbury shop open but that it would be "easier mentally to just switch off" and leave it in the capable hands of her partner and team "for the time being".
Hundreds have, so far, commented with their sympathies for the family experiencing a pain like no other. One wrote: "This is every parents nightmare, I can't begin to imagine what you are all going through."
Another said: "We can not begin to imagine the pain and heartbreak you are experiencing Crystal. As you have already pointed out, nothing can help you, the loss is too unbearable. Please know that we all care and will be thinking of you and holding you close as you grieve for your beautiful boy."
Hundreds share sympathy online
North Wales Police provided the tragic update yesterday afternoon [November 21] at about 4.30pm that the four missing teens had sadly died following the discovery of their overturned Ford Fiesta. It came after hours upon hours of teams searching remote areas of Gwynedd.
Hundreds following our site for updates throughout the day shared their condolences and sympathies after the outcome was confirmed. Responses to the tragic news included "absolutely heart-breaking" and a "tragic loss of young lives".
'Lovely and funny young lad' will be missed
Beth Head, a friend of 18-year-old Hugo Morris, described him as "a lovely and funny young lad" saying he would be missed deeply. "I will forever cherish all the memories and laughs we had at work together [sic], my thoughts go to his family at this time," she said.
'I can't imagine my world without you'
The BBC report that Maddi Corfield, the girlfriend of Wilf, said: "I'm going to miss you forever" and decalred the late teen as "the sweetest and most loving boy [she'd] ever known".
Her online tribute went: "I hope you know how much I love you, gorgeous. Thank you for all the time you've spent with me... thank you for loving me endlessly.
"I promise I'll do the same for you, my sweet, sweet angel. I can't imagine my world without you. I'm missing you so much already, but I am going to enjoy life the way you would've wanted, the way that you made me feel."
Her mother, Lisa Corfield, said on Facebook: "I am absolutely heartbroken for Maddi and all of the families involved. Wilf was such a lovely, kind lad and treated Maddi in a way only a mother could hope her daughter be treated."
Conservative MS thanks emergency services
The BBC is reporting that Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies says his thoughts are with the families and friends of the boys. He also thanked the emergency services who were called to the rural location.
'Unimaginable' ordeal for families - FM
First MInister Mark Drakeford has called the students' parents' ordeal 'unimaginable' on X, formerly Twitter, following today's tragedy.
'Thoughts and prayers'
Manasa Boma, 30, the hotel manager, said: ‘We’re closed for the winter but our handyman messaged me to say there had been a terrible accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who’s involved.’
'Time and space to pray'
The boys involved in the accident - Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen, Wilf Henderson and Hugo Morris - were all A-level students at the Shrewsbury Colleges Group, which said its “immediate thoughts are with the family and friends of the teenagers”.
Meanwhile Trinity Churches Shrewsbury says it will be offering "time and space to pray" in the The Trinity Centre, on Church Road, Meole Brace from 9am tomorrow (Wednesday).
"Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends, and the wider community at such a sad time," it says on Facebook, according to the Mirror. Additional times for prayer will be arranged, it adds.
Road still closed
The traffic website Inrix is reporting that the A4085 remains closed while police remain at the scene of this tragic incident. The closure is from the Prenteg turn off (Garreg) to the Penrhyndeudraeth turn off (Pont Aberglaslyn).
'Truly heartbreaking'
Local politicians have described the discovery of the four teenagers' bodies in Gwynedd as 'truly heartbreaking'. MP Liz Saville Roberts and local Senedd member Mabon ap Gwynfor said in a joint statement: “This news is truly heartbreaking and foremost as parents ourselves our thoughts go out to the families and friends of the four young men whose lives have been lost in this tragic accident.
“We would like to pay tribute to the emergency services and local mountain rescue teams involved in the search operation and to members of the public for their assistance in helping to locate the vehicle. No words can sufficiently reflect the sorrow that this news brings to our whole community.”
Televised update
You can watch the latest update that was broadcast live via Sky News within the last hour.
Car was found 'on its roof' and 'partially submerged in water'
Supt Owain Llewelyn has appeared outside St Asaph HQ this afternoon to provide a full and further update with information available so far following the confirmation that the four missing teens have died.
He told reporters that the silver Ford Fiesta the authorities had been searching for was found "on its roof" and "partially submerged in water". The young men were found "within the vehicle".
He added that the search was over but enquiries were ongoing to establish the circumstances that led to the car leaving the road. He thanked every agency involved in this major operation.
Devastating outcome confirmed
Police have confirmed Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen, Wilf Henderson, and Hugo Morris died in what appears to have been "a tragic accident". The group were reported as missing on Sunday morning, November 19.
Four bodies recovered from car in 'tragic accident'
Ahead of the planned statement reading at 4.30pm, North Wales Police have issued the below on thier Facebook page:
Sadly, we can confirm four bodies have been recovered from a car which appears to have left the road on the A4085 at Garreg, near Tremadog. Supt Owain Llewelyn said: “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.
“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.” Investigations are ongoing to establish the circumstances that led to the car leaving the road.
Statement due soon
The police are due to issue their statement on the steps of the HQ within the next 10 minutes. We'll bring you LIVE updates as this happens.
Police pictured beyond the road block
Police to issue a statement within the next hour
A police statement will be read to the media by Superintendent Owain Llewelyn at 4.30pm today at North Wales Police HQ in St Asaph in relation to the search for four teenage boys in the Porthmadog area.
'Flashing emergency lights' seen in village this afternoon
The Mirror have been told by retired headteacher Ann Hodgkin, from Nantmor, that she had been woken at 5am by the sound of a helicopter circling overhead. She said: “I heard the helicopter going round and round at 5am this morning.
"I couldn’t get back to sleep and so I got up and put on the radio. I heard about the four missing boys and I thought ‘oh, no’. The police won’t tell me anything but they say I can go back to my home.”
This afternoon, flashing emergency lights could be seen up the valley from the roadblock just between Garreg and Nantmor. The road that is closed, the A4085, winds its way up to the Pass of Aberglaslyn, a narrow gorge and local landmark.
Village 'in complete shock' over missing group news
Local councillor June Jones told Sky News that she had been hoping the teenagers - who have been confirmed as A-Level students at Shrewsbury College - were out camping and had lost phone signal.
She told the outlet: "I was hoping that they'd gone out camping wild and had no mobile signal. I was hoping very much that that is the reason why they haven't been in contact - there's not much mobile signal in this area and perhaps that is why."
Now their car has been found, she said the "whole area is in complete shock" and "everybody's feelings are very much with the families at this time".
"It has been extremely wet and the rivers have been extremely high over the last few days. Obviously, it is November, the weather is bad. It is bad weather to be travelling in, especially with somebody who doesn't know the roads very well."
'Community knowledge' will be vital to help locate the the teenagers
Gareth Pritchard, former deputy chief constable of North Wales Police and trustee of the Ogwen Montain Rescue Team charity, told BBC Radio Cymru's Dros Ginio programme that locating the teenagers is the biggest challenge facing the emergency services.
He said: "It is such a vast area and not knowing the route of the teenagers will make it even more challenging and will take a lot of time." He says the community's knowledge and help is essential in the attempts to locate the the teenagers.
'Thoughts and prayers'
Manasa Boma is the manager at The Royal Goat Hotel in Beddgelert, a short distance from the scene of the police have blocked the road. She told our reporter: "We’re closed for the winter but our handyman messaged me to say there had been a terrible accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who’s involved."
New pictures from the area
Forensics arrive in the village
Photos at the scene show a van marked as 'forensic collisions unit' has passed into the blocked-off area. We're waiting to hear from the emergency services with any official updates.
Emergency crews and road block remains
The village has seen multiple emergency response vehicles descend upon the scene this afternoon after the silver Ford Fiesta belonging to the group was found a short distance away.
A road block has been in place for several hours now. The statement from North Wales Police said that "families of those involved have been kept updated" and "further information will be released when available".
Road closure alert
The traffic system reads: "A4085 in both directions closed due to police incident from Prenteg turn off (Garreg) to Penrhyndeudraeth turn off (Pont Aberglaslyn)." Below is a map which accompanies the alert.
'Patchy' phone signal paired with 'atrocious' weather on Sunday
Emyr Owen, who lives near to the police cordon, told the BBC that the weather conditions on Sunday were "atrocious". He added: "I don't know what happened to four young men in the car, hopefully nothing bad."
A local man who runs Walk Snowdonia, a company that offers hiking experiences to people in the region, shared some insights on conditions that could be affecting the boy's plight and the ongoing search. He told the Independent how "phone signal can be very patchy.
Recap of events
- Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen, Wilf Henderson and Hugo Morris were reported as missing on Sunday, November 19. The boys are thought to have ventured from their homes to Snowdonia (Eryri) in North Wales and were last sighted around Harlech and Porthmadog in Gwynedd
- They were travelling in a silver Ford Fiesta which has since been discovered in Porthmadog. The whereabouts of the four teens remains unknown at this time.
- Emergency services were drafted in as the search and rescue teams canvased a wide area since the early hours of the morning - miles from where the boys are originally believed to have been visiting.
- Vehicles - including fire appliances and ambulances - have been spotted in near Afon Glaslyn in Nantmor. This is a short distance away from where reports of emergency dispatchers sent crews.
