Police reveal exact time of Cardiff crash as they appeal for witnesses

The scene in the St Mellons area of Cardiff (Ben Birchall/PA)

Police have confirmed the exact time of a crash in Cardiff that killed three people.

South Wales Police said the time of the incident on the A48(M) near the St Mellons area of the city has been confirmed as 2.03am on Saturday March 4.

Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, died when the white Volkswagen Tiguan they were travelling in left the carriageway and crashed into a wooded area.

Passengers Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, remain in the University Hospital of Wales receiving treatment.

St Mellons deaths — Floral tributes left near the scene in the St Mellons area (Ben Birchall/PA)

The group had been to The Muffler social club in Maesglas, Newport, on Friday night and then travelled just under 40 miles to the Trecco Bay caravan park in Porthcawl.

A caravan at the holiday park where the group are understood to have stayed before the accident was cordoned off this week.

The PA news agency understands police are 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 the group.

The man is said to be co-operating fully with the police investigation.

Friends and family of the group set up a public search party for them after they did not return from the night out.

Police issued a public appeal for their whereabouts at 11pm on Sunday March 5.

The wreckage was not discovered until just after midnight on Monday March 6, around 46 hours after the accident is understood to have happened.

The families of those who died continue to be supported by family liaison officers, SWP said on Friday.

Post-mortem examinations of the victims are ongoing.

Officers are said to have had to study CCTV and number plate recognition cameras in the area to establish the time of the crash.

The force is appealing for witnesses, including anyone who was travelling east along the A48 Eastern Avenue between Cardiff and the St Mellons off-slip, which links to the roundabout of the A48, B4487 and Cypress Drive near Cardiff Garden Centre, also known as Blooms Garden Centre.

Anyone with dashcam footage from the area around the time of the crash is asked to come forward.

Assistant Chief Constable Jason Davies said: “The investigation is making good progress in piecing together the events leading up to the collision.

“Specialist officers will continue to carry out a detailed investigation which will enable us to provide the facts of what happened during the early hours of Saturday morning.

“Our thoughts continue to be with the families and all those affected by this tragic incident.”

Those with information are asked to contact South Wales Police quoting occurrence 2300072969.