Wales crash: Hundreds attend vigil for three found dead after fatal Cardiff road collision
People gathered to remember the victims near to where the crash is believed to have happened off the A48 near St Mellons
Hundreds of people gathered at a vigil for the victims of a fatal car crash in Cardiff.
Family and friends let off fireworks, smoke flares and balloons, as well as bringing flowers and tributes to the scene, saying it was to show their respects "for the ones we've lost and the ones who are still here."
Darcy Ross and Eve Smith, both 21 and from Newport, were found dead alongside Rafel Jeanne, 24, from Cardiff, in the early hours of Monday morning after a car they were travelling in is believed to have crashed into a wooded area off the A48 near St Mellons.
Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, survived and are being treated in hospital for serious injuries.
The last confirmed sighting of the five people was at 2am on Saturday 4 March in Pentwyn, with the group having travelled there from Porthcawl.
The five individuals were reported missing to Gwent Police and South Wales Police over the weekend, but it would be almost 48 hours after they were last seen that they were found by police.
The vigil was held near to where the crash is believed to have happened, off the A48 near St Mellons.
Part of the road was closed for people to gather.Tributes for Darcy Ross, Eve Smith and Rafel Jeanne have been flooding in across social media as well as at the scene itself, while a fireworks display also took place on Monday evening in memory of those who died.
Daniel Mahoney was part of the group that organised the vigil
Questions have been raised about South Wales Police and Gwent Police's handling of the tragedy.A friend of the victims has criticised police efforts in the search, while the IOPC has confirmed it will investigate the police forces' handling of the missing person reports prior to discovering the vehicle and crash scene.
The family of Eve Smith, one of the victims of the crash, has called for the police to be given time and space to investigate what happened.
In a statement from the solicitor of Ms Smith’s family, the family describe it as an "extraordinarily difficult time" and ask for the privacy to be "allowed to grieve in peace."
ITV Wales presenter Andrea Byrne sent this report from the scene earlier on Tuesday
Eve Smith's family statement reads: "We want to allow Gwent Police and South Wales Police the time and space to investigate the matter in a thorough and professional way and to enable the Independent Office for Police Conduct thereafter to come to their own conclusions."
Ms Smith’s death comes eight years after her sister Xana Doyle, 19, was killed in a car crash.
The driver of that fatal collision, who was twice the drink-drive limit, was prosecuted. Ms Smith had taken part in a Sky TV documentary about the incident, campaigning for tougher sentences.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), has tonight (Tuesday 7 March) confirmed it will investigate the police forces' handling of events prior to discovering the scene of the crash.
It said it will look at South Wales Police and Gwent Police's handling of missing person reports before Darcy Ross, Eve Smith and Rafel Jeanne were found dead, while Sophie Russon and Shane Loughlin were found seriously injured. IOPC Director, David Ford, said that the investigation is "at a very early stage."
He said: "We will be contacting the families involved to express our sympathies, explain our role and set out how our investigation will progress.
"We are aware of the significant community concern about the tragic events that have unfolded and would like to assure everyone that we will conduct a thorough and timely investigation."