A tragic accident just before the holidays claimed the lives of two men, leaving their families and the community in mourning. An inquest has revealed the heartbreaking details of a head-on collision that occurred on the A487 Porthmadog bypass, days before Christmas.
On December 20th, Mathew James Hardy, aged 34, from Abererch, Pwllheli, and Daniel Atkinson, aged 40, from Blaenau Ffestiniog, tragically lost their lives at the scene. The senior coroner for North West Wales, Kate Roberston, opened the inquest, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding the devastating event.
According to the coroner, Mr. Hardy, a mechanic, was driving a recovery truck heading north towards Tremadog when the collision happened. The other vehicle involved was a VW Golf, driven by Mr. Atkinson, also a mechanic, who was traveling southbound. Paramedics confirmed both men dead at approximately 9:45 PM GMT on the evening of the crash.
The coroner has ordered post-mortem examinations for both men. While the details for Mr. Hardy are still pending, the initial cause of death for Mr. Atkinson was determined to be multiple injuries. The inquest has been adjourned, as investigations continue to determine the exact cause of this heartbreaking accident. This case underscores the devastating impact of road accidents and the importance of road safety.