Cause of death of four teenagers killed in Snowdonia camping trip car crash revealed at inquest

29 November 2023, 10:52 | Updated: 29 November 2023, 11:28

The four boys drowned in the crash in north Wales
The four boys drowned in the crash in north Wales. Picture: North Wales Police

By Asher McShane

All four teenagers who died in a car crash on a camping trip in north Wales drowned, an inquest into their deaths heard.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Wilf Fitchett, Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen and Hugo Morris, from the Shrewsbury area, were found in an overturned, partially submerged car in Gwynedd, north Wales while on a camping trip to Snowdonia.

Post mortem examinations on all four teenagers showed the provisional cause of death to be drowning in all four cases, the inquest at Caernarfon, Gwynedd, heard.

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.

Written tributes at Shrewsbury Abbey for Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen, Wilf Fitchett and Hugo Morris
Written tributes at Shrewsbury Abbey for Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen, Wilf Fitchett and Hugo Morris. Picture: Alamy

Read more: Mother of teen killed in north Wales crash says she’s in 'a nightmare I wish I could wake up from but I can't'

A major search was launched for the A-level students after they failed to return home to Shropshire from an overnight camping trip to the Snowdonia area.

The car had left the A4085 at Garreg, near Tremadog, overturned, and was partially submerged in water, North Wales Police said.

The force wants dashcam footage from anyone travelling on the A4085 between Penrhyndeudraeth and Beddgelert in either direction between 11am on Sunday November 19 and 10am on Tuesday November 21.

Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen, Wilf Fitchett, and Hugo Morris, who died in a car crash
Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen, Wilf Fitchett, and Hugo Morris, who died in a car crash. Picture: Alamy

In a tribute, Harvey's mother Crystal Owen described him as "a unique and special person who touched so many people along the way".

She said: "There is never a time to lose a child but this feels so much more gut wrenching as he was literally thriving in life and had everything to live for."

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."