Wales crash: Police confirm exact time of collision that left three dead and two seriously injured

The car left the carriageway and crashed into a wooded area off the A48 near St Mellons on Saturday March 4. Credit: PA

South Wales Police have revealed the exact moment a car carrying five people crashed near Cardiff which shows the victims were not found for almost two days after being reported missing.

The fatal collision took place on the A48(M) near the St Mellons area of Cardiff on Saturday March 4 and left three people dead and two seriously injured.

Eve Smith and Darcy Ross, both 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, died in the crash. Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, who were also travelling in the Volkswagen Tiguan remain in hospital with serious injuries.

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

On Friday, South Wales Police revealed the time of the crash as 2.03 am on Saturday 4 March.

The force said it was able to confirm the exact time after studying CCTV and number plate recognition cameras in the area. It said the white Volkswagen Tiguan the group were travelling in left the carriageway into a wooded area.

Gwent Police have received some criticism of its response to the missing persons reports which were filed after the group failed to return home from an evening out.

South Wales Police, which is handling the investigation into the crash, said: "The investigation is making good progress in piecing together the events leading up to the collision." 

Detectives are now calling for anyone driving in the area at this time with potential dashcam footage to come forward as they continue their investigation.

Hundreds attended a vigil on Tuesday night for the victims of the crash Credit: ITV Wales

The group had been out in Newport, on Friday night and then travelled to the Trecco Bay caravan park in Porthcawl.

A caravan at the holiday park where the group are understood to have stayed for a period of time prior to the accident has been cordoned off. Police have also been made aware of a noise complaint made to the park's security lodge about the group.

They left a short time later and were last seen at about 2am in the Pentwyn area of Cardiff having dropped off a sixth member of their group.

It has now been revealed they left the carriageway and crashed into a wooded area off the A48 near St Mellons at 2.03 am.

The vehicle is believed to have travelled from Newport to Porthcawl, before heading back to Newport through Cardiff.

The former school of Rafel Jeanne, one of the three victims, paid tribute to him yesterday. They described Mr Jeanne as a "popular" pupil and an accomplished sportsman who was "full of life and energy."

Earlier this week, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), confirmed it will investigate the actions both Gwent and South Wales Police in handling the investigation as both referred themselves to the police watchdog.

It said it will look at South Wales Police and Gwent Police's handling of missing person reports before the scene of the crash and the victims were subsequently discovered, almost 48 hours after their last known sighting.