Tributes have been paid to three people found dead in a crashed car nearly two days after they went missing following a night out.
Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, from were found in a vehicle which had come off a major road in Cardiff and crashed into trees.
They were part of a group of five who had been on a night out in Cardiff on Friday before disappearing.
Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, survived and were rushed to hospital with serious injuries.
A VW Tiguan - the car the three women and two men were travelling in - was recovered just after midnight on Monday in the St Mellons area of Cardiff, Gwent Police said. Police believe the car was involved in a road traffic collision and came off the A48.
The three women were last seen in Cardiff in the early hours of Saturday having travelled there from Porthcawl. They had earlier been in Newport and were reported missing to Gwent Police. The two men, who were from Cardiff, were also reported missing by their families.
The group was last seen in Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, in the early hours of Saturday, but it is not yet clear when the crash happened.
Tributes have been paid on social media with family members confirming their loved ones had died. Police on Monday evening confirmed the identities of those killed.
One relative of Miss Smith wrote: "I will not comment on anyone other than Eve Smith to confirm that she has been confirmed as deceased.
"Thank you for your support and shares and I won't be answering messages please allow us some time as a family to digest this terrible news x."
A friend of Miss Ross and Miss Smith, who were both from Newport, wrote: "I don't really have the words right now.
"Darcy Ross I'm going to miss you little gypsy girl. You were one of a kind, I'm going to miss trying to 'life coach' you as you would've said. You were a real ray of sunshine especially on my bad days.
"Eve Smith you were truly a beautiful young girl, who's heart was made of gold just like your sister's, give her a big hug for me and hold each other tight until the day we all have our turn and reunite."
A friend of Mr Loughlin posted: "I'm so proud of us all pulling together out there searching for our dear friends last night.
"It's heart breaking what's happened to Rafel Jeanne and those two girls. My body is still shaking and I can't stop being sick the thought of them all there all of that time.
"Many times I have driven past, it just makes me so sad and to how helpless our Shane Loughlin must of felt trapped inside.
"Wish Sophie a speedy recovery and I send all my love and strength to all the families involved."
A video posted to social media showed Ms Ross and Mr Jeanne, who was from Cardiff, together on Friday night. Friends and family of the women issued desperate appeals on social media over the weekend to try and piece together what happened.
Some said they were “worried sick” and “thinking the worst”, reporting that the three women had not made contact with friends or family, “which is very unusual”.
Ms Russon’s mother, Anna Certowicz, told MailOnline she travelled to Cardiff to “knock on doors” to find answers. Ms Russon has a younger sister and works at a bank, she said.
“She’s not someone who’s out clubbing in Cardiff all the time. On Friday nights she’s more likely to be babysitting so other people can go out. She wouldn’t just vanish like this unless something was wrong,” she told MailOnline.
Gwent Police has referred the case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
The group reportedly visited the Muffler, also known as the Maesglas Sports and Social Club, in Newport and Trecco Bay, a neighborhood in Porthcawl on Friday night.
One family member wrote on Facebook that the group was last seen at the sports club around 11pm on Friday night. There are reports that the group then travelled to a caravan in Trecco Bay, and later left to drop someone home in Llanedeyrn, Cardiff around 2am.
A spokesperson for Trecco Bay Holiday Park said: “We are aware of reports of five missing people. None of these people were registered guests at the park, however we are assisting police with their enquiries.”
Specialist officers are supporting the families of those involved and inquiries are ongoing.
South Wales Police said on Monday they are at the scene of an ongoing incident on the roundabout that joins Eastern Avenue with Newport Road and the A48 in Cardiff.
“The road is currently closed in all directions. It is expected to remain closed for some time,” an update on Twitter read.
A temporary fence has been put up at the side where officers have been concentrating their investigation.
A number of floral tributes have been laid near the cordon on Monday.
One message read: “Fly high. You’re in a better place now. This was the last thing we expected. I know you’re still partying up there. Have one for me.”
Other notes read “RIP Darcy” and “RIP Eve”.
