Police issue health update on family hit by five teenagers driving down wrong side of motorway

While tributes flood in for the five teenagers who died after driving the wrong way down the motorway, the family they collided with are still fighting for their lives in hospital.

Ireland was left shocked after it was confirmed that five people had died in the 'horrific' crash in the early hours of Sunday morning when a BMW on the wrong side of the M9 road in Co Kildare, collided head on with a Hyundai carrying a family of four.

Garda Síochána, Ireland's primary police and security service, initially thought that the BMW had been stolen by Jeremy O'Brien, 18, Alex McCarthy, 17, Joey Carthy, 15, Jack Kennedy, 17, and Kamil Pustkowski, 17, as they attempted to stop the car before it started to drive down the motorway straight into incoming traffic, which meant that police couldn't follow them.

Although police have since suggested that the BMW might have been purchased legitimately by one of the teens, it also seems likely that they were taking part in a disturbing social media trend of driving down the wrong side of the road.

And while all five passengers in the BMW have lost their lives, the four passengers inside the car they struck are thankfully still alive at the time of writing, although both the female driver and front seat passenger remain critically ill in

Tallaght University Hospital in south Dublin.

The woman in the back seat remains in a serious condition but has moved hospitals, while the seven-year-old boy who was also in the back is being treated at a children's hospital in Crumlin, with reports from yesterday (Monday 17 August) suggesting that he has suffered a broken leg.

The five teens who died (Social media)

Meanwhile, the families of the dead teenagers have paid tribute after their identities were confirmed by police.

Jeremy O’Brien’s mother, Margaret, posted: "Rest in heavenly peace, my beautiful son.

“Things will never be the same without you. You took a piece of my heart to heaven with you.

"It was such a privilege to be your mother. I am so proud of you."

One post paying tribute to Joe Carthy said: "Why did it have to be you of all people? You would never see a bad bone in his body. He really was going to make something when he grew up."

The Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he was 'shocked and saddened' at the tragedy, which he described as being the result of 'an irresponsible and dangerous act'.

Mr Martin said such incidents are, in some cases, 'being done for likes on social media'.

He said: "This is the second appalling crash we've seen on our roads in a matter of days as a result of the reckless driving of a car on the wrong side of the motorway, endangering the lives of innocent road users."

The aftermath of the crash (PA)

Commissioner Justin Kelly also 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.”