Cardiff car crash: Three dead after missing people search

Gwent Police said it believed the group had been involved in a car crash.

Sophie Russon, 20, Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21, Rafel Jeanne, 24, and Shane Loughlin, 32, were last seen at about 02:00 GMT on Saturday in Cardiff.

The car they were last seen in was found just after midnight on Monday on the A48 in St Mellons.

The road is a major route into Cardiff and the car was found near a busy roundabout near a garden centre.

Over the weekend, family and friends of the missing group appealed numerous times on social media to find them.

The women, from Newport, had gone to The Muffler club in the Maesglas area of Newport late on Friday.

They then travelled 36 miles (58km) to Trecco Bay, a caravan park in the seaside resort of Porthcawl, Bridgend county, with the two men, both from Cardiff, before last being seen in Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, in the early hours of Saturday.

It is not yet clear when the crash happened.

Before the car was found, one of the girls' aunts said there had been "no contact and no social media presence since the early hours of Saturday morning".

In an appeal to find them, Tori Preece posted a message on Facebook saying that "all of the families involved are extremely concerned".

"They are not girls who take unnecessary risks and are always in close contact with their families," she wrote.

"The police are involved and they have been recorded as missing persons."

Ms Preece shared a post from Lauren Doyle who wrote: "Thank you to everyone who has tried to find and send information - your help is appreciated."

Ms Doyle's post added it was "unusual" the girls had not made contact and friends and families were "worried sick and thinking the worst".

Ms Russon is one of two in hospital with serious injuries, while the three dead have yet to be identified.

Writing on Twitter, Hollie Smith said her cousin, Ms Russon, had been taken to hospital in a critical condition.

"Sadly, the three other passengers have died and we're thinking of the families who have lost their loved ones," she wrote.

The Volkswagen Tiguan they were travelling in was found in the early hours of Monday near a busy roundabout on the A48, close to Cardiff Garden Centre.

The road remains closed and a temporary fence has been put up at the side of carriageway where officers have been concentrating their investigation.

Specialist officers are supporting the families, police said.

The case has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in line with normal procedure.

The IOPC said: "We can confirm that Gwent Police have advised us that they are making a referral in connection with this tragic incident and we will carry out an assessment in due course to determine what further action may be required from us."

Gwent Police has confirmed that South Wales Police is investigating the crash.

The A48 Eastern Avenue in St Mellons has been closed in both directions as police inquiries continue.

The morning traffic has been heavy and the road closure has seen traffic backing up on roads coming from Newport.

-bbc