Cardiff A48 crash: Three found dead after group of five go missing on night out

  • Watch ITV News' Wales Correspondent Rhys Williams' live report from the scene

A major investigation is underway following a car crash which left three people dead and two others seriously injured.

Sophie Russon, 20, Eve Smith, 21, and Darcy Ross, 21, all from Newport, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, and Shane Loughlin, 32, from Cardiff, had been reported missing after going out on Friday night.

South Wales Police has named the three people who died in the collision as Rafel Jeanne, Eve Smith, and Darcy Ross.

Sophie Russon and Shane Loughlin have been taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff where they remain in a critical condition, according to South Wales Police.

On Monday, family and friends paid tribute on social media to the three who had died.

Darcy Ross, Rafel Jeanne and Eve Smith all died in the accident Credit: Social media

The three women are understood to have visited The Muffler bar in Maesglas in Newport on Friday evening.

Friends believe they headed 35 miles west to Trecco Bay Holiday Park in Porthcawl in a Volkswagen Tiguan, along with Shane Loughlin and Rafel Jeanne, who were also reported missing.

The three women were last seen on Saturday 4 March at about 2am in the Llanedeyrn area.

Over the weekend, friends and family of the group had been desperately appealing for help to try to find them. 

Emergency services discovered a Volkswagen Tiguan vehicle at 12.15am on Monday 6th March after a police helicopter, police and fire officers were deployed to the scene.

People were seen leaving flowers on Monday morning at the scene of the crash Credit: PA

South Wales Police said it is continuing to investigate a fatal road traffic collision "on the A48 in the St Mellons area of Cardiff."

In a statement, it added, "Investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident, including when the collision took place.

"The five individuals were the subject of enquiries by Gwent Police following a missing person report made during the evening of Saturday 4th March.

The site where the crash happened off the A48 in St Mellons, Cardiff Credit: PA

"A subsequent missing person report in respect of one of the individuals was made to South Wales Police on Sunday 5th March.

"Referrals have been made by Gwent Police and South Wales Police to the Independent Office for Police Conduct."

Photographs from the scene show large green fencing and tarpaulin has been erected around the crash site, which is among trees.

People have been leaving floral tributes to those who died.

Police were at the scene on Monday morning Credit: Matthew Horwood

Specialist officers are supporting the families of those involved and enquiries are ongoing.

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