Four adolescent guys were discovered dead in a vehicle after a camping trip accident in the United Kingdom.
In a statement posted on Facebook Tuesday, police in Wales said the dead were retrieved from a car that looked to have been off the road.
Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen, Wilf Fitchett, and Hugo Morris, all aged 16 to 18, had gone missing on Sunday morning.
“This appears to have been a tragic accident, and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the four young men at this very difficult time,” said North Wales Police Superintendent Owain Llewellyn in a statement.
“This has been an extensive search involving a number of different agencies and volunteers, and this is sadly not the outcome that any of us would have wanted,” he said. “We would ask that the family be afforded the appropriate privacy and respect.”
Authorities also stated that an inquiry into what caused the tragedy is continuing.
According to the BBC, a member of the public notified police on Tuesday morning of the position of an upside-down Ford Fiesta that was also half buried in water.
According to a press release posted on the police website on Tuesday, authorities spotted the car in which the youths were riding in the Porthmadog district of Wales “following information from a member of the public.”
Meanwhile, according to local councilor June Jones, “the car was only spotted when a passing truck driver saw it from the higher vantage point of his cab.”
Following the tragedy, Harvey Owen’s mother, Crystal, said on Facebook on Wednesday, “I feel like I’m in a nightmare I wish I could wake up from, but I’m not,” according to The Guardian.
“I just wanted to say that I appreciate everyone’s kindness, but no amount of messages will help me overcome this.” “There is nothing that will make this nightmare go away,” she continued.
The guys, who attended the same school in England, were reported to be camping in the Eryri region of Wales, popularly known as Snowdonia. Mount Snowdon, the highest point in the United Kingdom outside of the Scottish Highlands, is located in this lonely location, which is a favorite trekking and camping destination.
Shrewsbury College, the kids’ school, also paid homage to them in a statement acquired by people on Tuesday.
“We would like to offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the four young men who tragically died in the suspected traffic accident,” the statement said. “This news is truly tragic, and our hearts go out to those it affects.”
“We would like to thank the emergency services and local mountain rescue teams, as well as members of the public, for their assistance in helping with the search and helping to locate the vehicle,” the statement said. “We will be working directly with students and staff who are affected by terrible accidents and have put in place a range of support measures for all our community.”