Friends, fans and those who worked alongside British indie band Viola Beach have reacted with shock after the band and their manager died when their car plunged off a bridge and into a canal in Sweden.
Band members Kris Leonard, River Reeves, Tomas Lowe and Jack Dakin and manager Craig Tarry, aged between 19 and 32, were killed when their vehicle crashed just hours after they played their first gig outside the UK.
Tributes were paid to the group after the accident in Sodertalje, near Stockholm, in the early hours of Saturday (local time)
The family of Leonard, 20, said: "Words cannot express the sadness we feel at the loss of our precious Kristian. He was doing the job he loved and will be missed so much by his family and friends."
The family of Reeves, 19, said they were "heartbroken" by his death.
"Viola Beach were on such an exciting journey and River could not have been happier. He would have loved to have stuck around for the party," the family statement said.
"All River wanted to do was perform and entertain and to think that he will never make us laugh again with his ridiculous impressions and cheeky banter is beyond comprehension for all his family."
The band had played the Where Is The Music? festival in Norrkoping, Sweden, shortly before the crash.
A musician who played at the gig said there had been "a lot of snow" that day and Tarry, 32, had not been drinking at the event because he was driving.
They were due to play a gig in Guildford in Surrey on Saturday but the event was cancelled following the tragedy.
Swedish police are examining the band's car in the hope of discovering the cause of the crash.
Officers were called to the incident at about 2:30am and said the Nissan Qashqai had gone through a barrier of a bridge which had opened to let a boat pass underneath.
The barrier, 50 metres before the opening, had flashing lights and warning signs, the officer handling the case said.
"For some reason, the car drove through the barriers and crashed down into the canal," Inspector Martin Bergholm said.
Viola Beach described themselves as an "indie pop" band, with Leonard on guitar and vocals, Reeves on guitar, Lowe on bass and Dakin on drums.
The four-piece released their debut single 'Swings & Waterslides' last year and had featured on BBC Introducing, which showcases up-and-coming music artists.
They had recently put out their second single Boys That Sing on January 22.
The band's label Communion Records spoke of its "total shock and sorrow", adding that they had "everything going for them -- great songs, passion, talent, drive ... everything that a band should have".
British band The Enemy wrote on social media, "RIP Viola Beach and their manager. Such incredibly tragic and sad news. Thought with the friends and families of all involved x."
James Walsh, lead singer of Starsailor, said: "Very sad to hear the awful news about Warrington's Viola Beach and their manager. Lives and music tragically cut short in their prime."
Ross Jarman, from The Cribs, said his "heart goes out to the Viola Beach guys and their families" while the Coral's James Skelly posted "So sorry to hear about viola beach and Craig tarry's accident so sad, their families must be devastated."
Radio One DJ Huw Stephens added "So sorry to hear the news about Viola Beach and their manager. The saddest news. Thinking of all their families at this awful time."
The men were identified using the passports they had on them and Swedish police are working with the Foreign Office global response centre.
PAA
