Five women who perished in crash

Four British gap-year students and their trip leader have been killed in a bus crash in Ecuador.

The women were on a 15-week trip to the country and it is thought their bus collided with a truck on Saturday.

SARAH HOWARD, 26

It was Sarah Howard's first expedition as trip leader

Trip leader Sarah Howard, from Nantwich in Cheshire, graduated from Durham University in 2003 and was on her first expedition for tour company VentureCo.

Her parents, Peter and Pam, said the job was due to be her last adventure before taking up a place on an NHS management training scheme in September.

They said: "Sarah was a beautiful, bubbly, intelligent, kind and caring person with a tremendous love of life.

"Travelling was her passion. As well as Central and South America, she had been to Japan, South Africa, China, New York, Mauritius, Jamaica and many parts of Europe.

"She had a large circle of friends from school, university and work abroad. Ourselves and her brother, Daniel, are devastated. Our loss is indescribable."

Sarah had studied at Durham University, worked for the Voluntary Service Overseas in Peru and set up a charity to raise funds for street children.

She had also worked for other gap-year expedition companies, describing them as "great fun" on her Friends Reunited profile.

A Durham University spokesman said: "We are very sorry to learn of Sarah's death and the thoughts and prayers of the Durham University community are with her family and friends at this very sad time."

REBECCA LOGIE, 19

Rebecca Logie's father paid tribute to a "popular" girl

Rebecca Logie's parents, Robin and Jane, who live in Chorley, Lancashire, said their daughter "lived life to the full" and was liked by everyone.

They said they did not want her death to discourage other young people to follow their dreams.

"I don't want anybody to be put off by what happened to our daughter - it was an accident," Mr Logie told the Chorley Guardian newspaper.

Her former school principal Steve Wood, at Winstanley College, Wigan, said: "We're absolutely devastated. It's a massive loss to our community.

"She was a really special student. Academically she was incredibly confident. She never got less than a grade A at GCSE or A level."

"She had a lovely smile and was absolutely meticulous in producing work. She never missed deadlines. What a terrible waste."

After her gap year, he said Rebecca was due to do an English degree at King's College, London and had ambitions to work in the fashion media.

"Our thoughts are with Becci's parents and sister," he added.

LIZZIE PINCOCK, 19

Lizzie Pincock, from Somerset, was described by her brother, John, 13, as a "brilliant person, the best sister anyone could ask for'', the Daily Telegraph reported.

Tributes to 'charismatic' Lizzie

Her mother Jill Pincock told ITV West: "Lizzie always gave 110% and her enthusiasm and great zest for life shone a light onto everyone she met.

"More importantly she was my little girl and we were privileged to have her for 19 years.

"She spoke to her boyfriend and said what a fantastic time she was having. We take great comfort from the fact she was likely to be asleep when it happened.

"Whilst we have a huge aching hole in our hearts, we know as usual she was making the most of everything that came her way."

Miss Pincock was a former prefect and head of Weirfield house in the class of 2007 at Taunton School, an independent boarding school in Somerset.

Head's tribute to crash victim Elizabeth Pincock

She played hockey for the school's first team, directed younger pupils in the school play and, after leaving, had been employed as a gap-year student in the prep school until March 2008.

Headmaster Dr John Newton expressed his condolences and said: "Lizzie was a distinguished pupil at the school. She was gifted in sport, in drama and in music.

"As the head of her house and a prefect, she was an outstanding leader and had an exceptional future before her.

Family friend Viv Gadsby, 44, whose son Will also attended the school, told the Daily Mail that her death was "devastating news".

She said: "I watched it on the news this morning and my heart sank for the families. I can't believe poor Lizzie was involved."

EMILY SADLER, 19

Emily Sadler was also on her gap year, before heading to Manchester University to study history.

She lived in Northwood, Hertfordshire, with her parents, Graham and Kay, sisters, Annelisa and Libby and brothers, George and William.

Emily's family said she was "the kind of girl that everybody loved"

She last spoke to her family on Wednesday, when she rang to tell them about her latest adventure, the fantastic time she was having and the people she had met.

The family paid tribute to their "fun-loving and popular" daughter and sister.

They said: "She was a beautiful bubbly girl with her whole life ahead of her. Her loss is indescribable."

Emily worked as a swimming instructor and a teaching assistant to save money to go on the trip, her family said.

She was the "kind of girl that everybody loved", with a positive outlook on life that meant she always had lots of friends.

Having previously visited South Africa she was looking forward to the new experience of South America.

Emily's school, North London Collegiate School, London, said: "We were all shocked and saddened to hear the terrible news and our thoughts are with Emily's family and friends.

"Emily was a talented, popular and considerate student with tremendous potential and a bright future.

"She did exceptionally well in her examinations last summer and had already secured a number of university offers for next year.

"She was generous in her time and commitment to others and was very excited about her travel and volunteering plans for this year; it is devastating that her life has been cut short so tragically.

INDIRA SWANN, 18

Indira Swann, 18, lived in Maidenhead, Berkshire.

Her father Greg Swann told the BBC his wife Louise had checked her email on Monday morning only to find "a beautiful" message from their daughter.

According to the Daily Mail, her father said: "She was 18 years of joy. An intelligent, kind and generous person, who had her whole life ahead of her. Her happiness was infectious.

Parents remember girl 'loved by all'

"She had travelled to India, China, Africa, America and Europe before. She was just a careful and considerate person, and we had no fears for her going travelling.

"We were in Italy when we heard the news this morning and got the first flight back.

"We are absolutely devastated. She had a large circle of friends and she will be so sadly missed. But we will have to focus on the 18 years of joy she gave us.

"Our heartfelt sorrow goes out to all her colleagues that died and their grieving families."

On her Facebook page, Indira looked forward to the time she would spend in Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru doing voluntary work, learning Spanish, and backpacking along the Inca trail.

On 31 March, her fourth day in Ecuador, she wrote that she was having a "great time", had spent the weekend in the mountains and was loving the "chilled out vibe".

On 6 April, she updated friends about the spectacle during a trip to the volcano of Cotopaxi.

The entry read: "There was a few mins where i was sat all alone at this hight, nothing around but snow, wind and darkness, i was the only living thing i could see. Ive never felt so small, but it was amazing."

Ecuador crash survivors 'coping'

She also complains about the rough bus journey she endured on the way to Cotopaxi, writing: "i was sick on the bus - the rockyest bus ive ever been on, it drove through a river!"

Miss Swann was a former pupil of The Henley College in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. Her boyfriend Harry Felton, 19, was travelling on a separate gap-year trip.

His parents, Richard and Chris, said Ms Swann, due to start a degree course at King's College, London, in the autumn, was "a joy to be with" and "always vivacious, witty and stylish", the Scotsman newspaper reported.

"She was intelligent, academically gifted and hard-working. She enjoyed life and had worked hard to save money for her gap-year trip," they said.