On Tuesday, November 21, 2023, authorities revealed through a Facebook post the deaths of four teenagers while camping in Snowdonia National Park, located in North Wales, U.K.
The deceased, identified as Wilf Fitchett (alternatively Wilf Henderson), Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen, and Hugo Morris, aged 16 to 18, were residents of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. They had last made contact on Sunday morning November 19, 2023, and their parents reported them missing on November 20. Their bodies were found in a vehicle that had departed from the roadway and landed in a water-filled ditch.
Superintendent Owain Llewellyn of the North Wales Police suggested that the incident was an unintentional accident. Residents of the area reported that the roads are narrow and steep, and the weather was windy and rainy.
The discovery of the teenagers was the result of a tip-off received on Tuesday morning about a Ford Fiesta, found overturned and partly underwater near Porthmadog in Wales. This locale, known for its breathtaking landscape, attracts many hikers and campers, and features Mount Snowdon, the UK’s highest mountain outside the Scottish Highlands.
All the young men were students at Shrewsbury College and were on a camping trip in the Eryri region, also referred to as Snowdonia. In a statement, the college extended thanks to the emergency services and local mountain rescue teams, and mentioned the provision of support to students and faculty affected by this event.
The road where the incident occurred was closed for investigation by the police.
