Missing people and the Police

Delila

Five young people going missing together should have rung very loud alarm bells.

Yes it should.

Katie59

Having driven some of those roads around the south Wales valleys it’s easy to run off the road into forest land and be invisible. If the route they were taking was not known finding would be a needle in a haystack.

There are now systems being developed where if a car crashes it automatically alerts emergency services with location. I’m not sure if any are active in the UK, I seem to remember it was linked to a new EU navigation system, anyone else have any more information on that.

This terrible accident wasn’t in the woods in the valleys though, it was just outside Cardiff and only a few metres from the road. Here’s a picture, it was in the trees behind the green fence. I’m not sure the police can be blamed, thousands of cars pass that route daily, it was a case of hiding in plain sight unfortunately. This type of incident does happen, a few years ago a man’s body was in his car on a major roundabout for a week before he was found, and I read about a body being found in a car in a canal where the driver had disappeared twenty years before. Car tracking systems that send out a signal when crashed are a godsend for the future. In the meantime, I’m sure all of us are thinking of the families of those poor young people.

Even if the police had taken their disappearance seriously, where would they have looked? Thousands of cars drove past the spot where the car went off the road and did not spot it.

A tragic accident, sometimes there is no one to blame.

The accident was on the A48 a main road so very unfortunate that the car was hidden by a dip and trees. I really don’t think the police are at fault the car was only spotted by helicopter. One of the girls Mums said she drove past it herself and saw nothing.
It’s a terrible accident I do hope the two who survived recover.

Katie59

Having driven some of those roads around the south Wales valleys it’s easy to run off the road into forest land and be invisible. If the route they were taking was not known finding would be a needle in a haystack.

There are now systems being developed where if a car crashes it automatically alerts emergency services with location. I’m not sure if any are active in the UK, I seem to remember it was linked to a new EU navigation system, anyone else have any more information on that.

The mother of one of the passengers, now fighting for her life in hospital, said she drove past several times and didn't see the car. Yes, a needle in a haystack.

Germanshepherdsmum

I guess the likelihood of five young people together having gone missing is pretty remote, to be fair to the police.

I'm puzzled by 'to be fair to the police'.

The likelihood is indeed pretty remote, bearing in mind young peoples propensity for social media/phone usage, and I would have thought an immediate search would have been initiated.

I'm not one to criticise the police as a first reaction but FIVE people must be unique and should have raised alarm bells.

Yes, I’m sure an Apple Watch is able to ring the emergency services.

Having driven some of those roads around the south Wales valleys it’s easy to run off the road into forest land and be invisible. If the route they were taking was not known finding would be a needle in a haystack.

There are now systems being developed where if a car crashes it automatically alerts emergency services with location. I’m not sure if any are active in the UK, I seem to remember it was linked to a new EU navigation system, anyone else have any more information on that.

Sad sad situation. Similar happened in Scotland a few years ago after a car went off dual carriageway and young couple were not found for a few days - I’m sure the inquest found both were alive for a day or so. Police must receive numerous such calls about missing people but where/when should they respond. I hope the two still alive recover.

Five young people going missing together should have rung very loud alarm bells.

I think the police response is understandable, given the age of the young people concerned and all sign of the accident was hidden by trees.

Terrible tragedy and TBH I'm not sure how I feel about this. As a parent in the same situation I'd be worried but I can understand with there being 5, aged between 20 and 30 and no reports of an accident, the police's response.

I guess the likelihood of five young people together having gone missing is pretty remote, to be fair to the police.