More details revealed after five teenagers killed when car drove down wrong side of motorway
Police in Ireland have shared more horrific details from a car crash which claimed the lives of five teenagers and left a family of four in serious condition.
Emergency services were rushed to the M9 motorway at Moone, Co Kildare early yesterday morning when a car that was driving the wrong way down the motorway collided with another vehicle in a head-on collision.
Gardai, the main law enforcement and security agency in Ireland, note that the car had already previously failed to stop for police before exiting the motorway in the wrong direction, before the fatal crash occurred around 3am on Sunday morning (16 August).
Although officials are still working out on identifying the bodies, with DNA testing likely to be required due to the severity of the crash, they have now confirmed that the two cars involved were a BMW and a Hyundai.
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Detectives are now also going through social media videos to see if anything regarding the car, which they suspect was stolen, was posted before the drivers and passengers ended up dead.
One source told The Sun: “This is a terrible tragedy in which five people are dead and others are fighting for their lives.
“The crash happened when the BMW drove on the wrong side of the motorway and into oncoming traffic.
“It’s a miracle others weren’t killed in the incident.”
Meanwhile, the occupants of the Hyundai, which include a female driver in her 40s, a front seat passenger in their 30s and other passengers thought to be in their 20s and around the age of 7, were said to be heading on holiday to Dublin before the crash occurred, with those in the front remaining in critical condition.
In a statement last night, gardai said: “The bodies of five teenage males, all occupants of one vehicle, have now been removed from the scene and taken to Naas General Hospital where post mortems will take place.”
Commissioner Justin Kelly called the crash 'horrific' and condemned the actions of others who have been driving down the wrong side of the road for social media likes.
He said: “My thoughts are with those injured in this morning’s collision on the M9. These family members were travelling innocently when they were struck by a vehicle being driven the wrong way down the motorway.
“This horrific incident, following the recent collision on the M50, shows how irresponsible and dangerous driving on the wrong-side of the motorway is.
“That, of course, should be self-evident, but what makes this reckless behaviour even more appalling is that in some cases it is being done for social media likes regardless of the potentially devastating impact it might have on innocent people and themselves.
“As this particular incident has been referred to Fiosrú, the Police Ombudsman, I am constrained in what I can say in detail about this incident, but I know that Gardaí do what they can to stop such vehicles while also taking into consideration all other road users. Gardaí are put in a really challenging situation dealing with such incidents. As always, An Garda Síochána will fully cooperate with the Police Ombudsman investigation which I hope is completed as expeditiously as possible.
“My thoughts are also with all members of An Garda Síochána and the emergency services who had to deal with this awful incident this morning. Such incidents show the difficult work we ask our Gardaí to undertake every day to keep our communities safe.”
Police are now urging anyone with information to come forward.
A garda spokesperson added: “Gardai in Athy are investigating all the circumstances of a fatal road traffic collision that occurred on the M9 Northbound at Junction 3 in the early hours of August 16 at 3am.
“Gardai and emergency services were alerted to a vehicle travelling southbound on the northbound carriageway of the M9.
“The vehicle was driving on the M9 between junction 3 and 4 when a head-on collision occurred with a second car.
“Gardai are appealing for any persons who may have witnessed the collision to come forward.
“Gardai are appealing to road users who were travelling on the M9 northbound or southbound between 2 and 3am and who may have dashcam footage of the incident or surrounding area to come forward.”
James Moorhouse