Childhood friends died in holiday quad bike crash

Childhood friends riding a quad bike on holiday died when they crashed into a minibus, an inquest heard.

Cory Dove and Matthew Steward, both 26, were in Fethiye in Turkey when they suffered "multiple traumatic injuries" on 13 May.

Essex Coroner's Court heard the friends, who grew up together in Harwich, died at the scene after being thrown off the vehicle as it overturned.

Ruling their deaths were a result of a road traffic collision, senior coroner Lincoln Brookes said he could not imagine "the pain shared" between the families.

The inquest was told Mr Dove and Mr Steward were holidaying with their respective families and agreed to meet up.

They spent the day together riding quad bikes before Mr Dove drove them to a shop near their hotel at about 23:55 local time (21:55 BST).

A traffic report by police in Turkey determined he was "driving fast on a winding road" prior to the crash.

"He lost control of the steering wheel of his own vehicle as a result of entering [the bend]," the report read.

Police said father-of-two Mr Dove was driving "carelessly and recklessly", leading him to enter the wrong side of the carriageway and crash into the minibus.

However, Mr Brookes said it was unclear how the Turkish police ascertained he had been driving at speed.

The bus driver, who was collecting employees from a nearby hotel, said Mr Dove appeared to "panic" and swerve the vehicle.

"The impact caused the window of my vehicle to burst and glass pieces hit my eyes," he said in a statement read to the court.

Mr Brookes said following an investigation in Turkey, the driver was not prosecuted.

He suggested Mr Dove, who lived in Harwich, cut a corner, but stressed he was not found to have been over the drink-drive limit.

The pair both suffered fractures, lacerations, bruises and pulmonary oedema - where excess fluid builds in the lungs - as a result of the quad bike being "dragged" across the road during the crash.

They were pronounced dead shortly after midnight on 14 May.

In a family tribute read by Mr Dove's mother, Sarah, he was described as an experienced quad bike rider.

She said: "He knew how to ride which makes this so hard to believe he's gone."

Mrs Dove added: "He was very polite towards people, did everything he could to help them.

"He was very much loved and still had so much life in front of him."

Mr Steward, who lived in Dovercourt, worked in an electrical factory and was described by his family as a "cherished son, twin brother and grandson, partner, dad and uncle".

"Most of all, Matthew was an amazing dad. He loved his children and was always loving, caring and overprotective," they added.

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