Fourth fatality following horror Kerry crash
Two teenaged brothers are among four young people who lost their lives when a car collided with a tree in Co Kerry this morning.
The two boys - thought to be aged 15 and 17 - and a 15-year-old girl - were all pronounced dead at the scene.
A fourth died in hospital a short time ago, while a fifth teenager remains in a critical but stable condition.
The 17-year-old was driving the 10-year-old silver Hyundai Accent.
It is believed he lost control of the car just after he drove along a sweeping bend on the main Killarney to Mallow road. The vehicle careered along a ditch before it dropped into a dip and the driver’s side hit a large oak tree.
Gardaí investigating the incident, which happened shortly after 7am on the N72 at Barraduff, appealed for witnesses to come forward.
No other vehicles were involved.
South Kerry TD John O'Donoghue said his prayers were with the victims and their families.
“I was deeply saddened to hear about this accident on the Mallow Road outside Killarney,” said Mr O’Donoghue.
“It was a terrible accident that will be deeply felt throughout the local community. It is particularly tragic that these young lives have been lost when they had such bright futures ahead of them.
“My thoughts go out to the victims of this crash and their family and friends. They will need the support of the entire community in the days and weeks ahead. This really is devastating news. News that no one ever wants to hear.”
The teenagers’ bodies were removed from the scene and transferred to Kerry General Hospital, where a post-mortem examination will take place on each.
Kerry county councillor Brendan Cronin said: “It’s devastation, absolute horror and devastation.
“My heart goes out to those families.
“It’s a sad day for those young people.”
Figures show nine people have died on the roads across the county of Kerry over the last eight months.
Part of the N72 near where today’s accident happened is on the Garda official list of collision-prone zones after four people were killed and nine seriously injured in series of separate crashes over the last number of years.
The stretch of road remained closed today as crash investigators carried out a technical examination. Diversions were in place and motorists were warned to avoid the area.
Today’s crash happened less than seven weeks after eight men were killed in one of the worst road accidents in the history of the state.
Seven of the dead, from three parishes across Inishowen, were in a car which collided with another vehicle on a notorious stretch of road, near Buncrana in Co Donegal, before ploughing into a third.
The driver of the third car, a man in his 60s returning home after an evening at bingo, was also killed.
