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Viola Beach band crash awful tragedy says coroner Viola Beach band crash 'awful tragedy', says coroner
(35 minutes later)
The coroner says he does not think it will "ever be known" what caused the crash that killed the British group Viola Beach and their manager. A coroner has said he does not think it will "ever be known" what caused the crash that killed the British group Viola Beach and their manager.
The four-member band, who were aged between 19 and 27, died on 13 February following a gig in Stockholm.The four-member band, who were aged between 19 and 27, died on 13 February following a gig in Stockholm.
Their car crashed into a raised section of a bridge and plummeted into a canal.Their car crashed into a raised section of a bridge and plummeted into a canal.
Cheshire Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg described the crash as "the most awful tragedy".Cheshire Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg described the crash as "the most awful tragedy".
He ruled that manager Craig Tarry, 32, and three band members died due to head injuries. He ruled that manager Craig Tarry, 32, and band members River Reeves, Jack Dakin, Kris Leonard - all aged 19 - died due to head injuries.
Bass guitar player Tomas Lowe died due to drowning, the inquest in their Warrington hometown found. Bass guitarist Tomas Lowe, 27, died due to drowning, the inquest in their Warrington hometown found.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. Mr Rheinberg said: "I don't think it will ever be known what happened. It's the most awful tragedy."
If you want to receive Breaking News alerts via email, or on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App then details on how to do so are available on this help page. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on Twitter to get the latest alerts. He added that "the evidence did not reveal the cause of sequence of events" that led to their deaths.
The inquest heard no alcohol or drugs was found in the blood of Mr Tarry, who was driving.
Warning lights
Post-mortem examinations also showed the four band members had not taken drugs and had only consumed small amounts of alcohol.
The group's agent Graham Bennett told Warrington Coroner's Court that the up-and-coming group were in Sweden for a festival showcasing young artists.
Viola Beach had already played at the Reading and Leeds festivals last year and the Stockholm event was their first gig outside the UK.
After the performance, they were travelling in a black Nissan Qashqai near the Södertälje Canal, about 18 miles from the capital, when a bridge was raised to let a boat pass underneath.
The inquest heard that the car was slightly over the speed limit as it was travelling at 108km/h (67mph) in a 100km/h zone.
Flashing lights signalled that the bridge was about to be raised with the middle section of the road lifted horizontally, the inquest heard.
Mr Tarry drove down a verge past stationary queuing traffic and through the first set of barriers, about 120m from the bridge, the court heard.
The car then travelled in a "controlled manner" at between 70 and 90km/h down the centre of the road.
It continued through a second set of barriers - 30m from the drop into the canal - and hit the raised section of the bridge before plummeting 25m, hitting the water within 15 seconds.
The court heard a tanker using the canal, which had requested the bridge to be lifted, then passed over the crash spot and "contact" with the car could not be ruled out.
The crew of a passing boat saw the car fall but initially thought it was ice.
Technical examinations did not find any errors with the car, barrier system or the procedure for raising the bridge.
One warning light on the bridge was out of order but there were at least 10 warning lights and flashing signals, the inquest heard.
Although the road was wet, it was not frozen with ice.
The court heard that the three band members sitting in the back of the car were not wearing seatbelts but those in the front were, and had to be cut from the vehicle.
Supt Martin Cleworth, from Cheshire Police, said outside the Warrington court: "We don't know the final answer... in terms of what actually happened at those moments just prior to the final collision and tragic descent into the water."
The Swedish authorities have recommended improvements to the crossing, including LED signs and cameras on the bridge.
Who were Viola Beach?
In the wake of their deaths, the band's first single Swings & Waterslides reached number 11, while their song Boys That Sing was performed by Coldplay in a tribute at Glastonbury.
Posthumously, Viola Beach scored a number one album in August.
The self-titled debut was compiled by the band's families, using live sessions and studio recordings, many of which were originally bound for an EP.
After the crash, a statement from the families of the band said: "We are tremendously proud of everything the boys achieved in such a short space of time.
"Craig, Jack, Kris, River and Tom shared a huge passion, talent and dedication to music."