First picture of family who died in horror Portugal car crash on holiday
The victims, including 20 year old twins, their 55 year old father, their 51 year old mother, and one of the young men's girlfriends, all perished in the accident, which also claimed the life of a Portuguese man travelling alone in the second vehicle.
The parents, who were tragically killed in the head-on collision in a Nissan Juke they had rented from Faro Airport, have been identified as Maria Joao and Domingos Serrano. Their twin sons, Domingos and Afonso, also died in the crash. This tragic incident follows the horrific deaths of two men on Saturday in separate road traffic collisions in Tipperary and Waterford respectively.
A source close to the ongoing investigation stated: "The car was such a wreck officers could only recover half a number-plate and with that began working on trying to establish the identity. Horror on Irish roads as two people killed within hours of each other
"Today a daughter of the couple killed alongside their twin sons, worried because she had heard about the crash in Portugal and was concerned because she couldn't contact her loved ones, rang the police to speak about her fears it was her family involved", reports the Mirror.
"With the information she gave them officers made checks with the hire car firm at Faro Airport and tragically discovered a match.
"That was how they were able to confirm the identities of the five occupants in the car with the four members of the same family inside." The family had rented a car from Faro Airport before the horror crash (Image: Getty Images)
Following the collision, the rental car was engulfed in flames, as per local reports. The Portuguese man involved in the accident, 26 year old Ruben Goncalves, has also been identified.
Ruben was employed at the Neves-Corvo mine, a zinc-copper mine southeast of Castro Verde, and had a four year old son.
Images from the crash site depicted the wreckage of one of the two vehicles involved in the incident in a field, where a fire broke out after the collision.
The collision occurred on a bend on the IP2, where signage indicates an 80kmh speed limit. Stunned locals took to social media today to voice their shock and distress over the incident.
Tania Marques Da Cruz expressed: "My most sincere condolences to all those killed. I hope their souls rest in peace. It's so sad to hear of people leaving their homeland and friends in search of a better life and then have their lives end like this. How unfair life is."
Cesar Caleiro posted on Facebook: "My sincere condolences to the loved ones of those killed. Mourao must rally round to comfort the families of the victims."
The GNR local police force is investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident. Town hall officials in Mourao have declared two days of mourning starting from today. Entire family of five killed in horror rental car crash in Portugal
A spokesperson stated: "The Municipal Council of Mourao has decreed two days of municipal mourning, effective from tomorrow, Sunday, following the death of five family members involved in a traffic accident last night on the IP2, near Castro Verde.
"The Municipality, in coordination with the family and law enforcement authorities, namely the local GNR Post in Castro Verde, obtained the number plate of the vehicle they were travelling in and confirmed the identity of the passengers at 3:35 p.m today.
"There were four occupants in the car, all from Mourao, and a young woman with ties to the family. Residents of England, they were travelling from Faro to Mourao for their usual and well-deserved holiday.
"It is with great sadness that the Municipality announces this information, offering its condolences to the families and friends of the victims.
"We inform you that all activities and events promoted by the Municipality are cancelled for the entire weekend."
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Journal
41 minutes ago
- The Journal
'I'm leaving this country': Migrant workers call for immediate action in wake of attacks
MIGRANT WORKERS AND representatives from various organisations protested outside of the Department of the Taoiseach today, calling for immediate action from Government leaders in the wake of a spate of attacks against Indian people. Around 300 people turned out for the lunchtime protest, with some migrant workers telling The Journal that they plan to leave Ireland due to a rise in what one called 'subtle racism, and direct attacks'. The Indian Irish Society, the African Solidarity Centre Ireland and other organisations came together to deliver a letter to the Taoiseach Micheál Martin's office demanding immediate action in light of multiple assaults on Indian migrants that have been reported in the media in recent months. 'No one has taken responsibility. Due to the fear and anxiety caused by these incidents, one Indian cultural event has been cancelled,' the letter said, referencing the cancellation of the annual India Day celebration at Farmleigh House. They are asking for the attackers involved in these incidents to be prosecuted, for training for gardaí on how to handle racist attacks, and 'effective strategies against racism and hate crimes'. The Journal / YouTube One Indian tech worker, Abin, said that having lived and worked in Ireland for over two years, he now plans to leave within the next six months. 'It's the attacks and the fear, but it's also the subtle racism. I can work in other countries, I am just here to live abroad and get more experience for a while, just like Irish people who go to Australia in their twenties. 'Our demands as a community are very simple, we want to see gardaí deployed more in areas where there is a high incident rate of these racist attacks, including in areas like Tallaght. Many people are established here and it is not easy for them to leave, and they shouldn't have to,' Abin said. One Indian worker at the protest today held a sign that read 'I'm leaving this country'. Lassane Ouedraogo, the chair of the Africa Solidarity Centre Ireland, has been in Ireland for two decades. Today at the protest he said that he is also now planning to leave. Lassane told The Journal that he has been physically attacked over five times in Ireland, and that no one was ever persecuted in relation to the attacks. 'Each time you go to bed you are wondering what the next day will be like. You aren't sure that you will go to work safe and come back safe. If something happens, people are filming you, [there are] bystanders, the police take ages to come to your rescue. Advertisement 'Looking what happened on Sunday in Fairview with that man, his eyes were deeply cut,' Lassane said. The Journal / YouTube He added that his organisation and others have repeatedly called on the Government to strengthen legislation around hate crime and hate speech. Green Party Councillor Feljin Jose, who is a representative for Cabra-Glasnevin, said that bringing in stronger hate speech laws is one of the actions that the Government could have taken before now to protect the migrant communities of Ireland. The Journal / YouTube He also said that there has been a lack of action from senior government figures in response to the attacks against members of the Indian community. 'We've heard nothing from the Minister for Justice about it. I'm quite disappointed that he hasn't said anything at all. He's responsible for crime and safety laws, and he's said nothing.' He added that members of the Indian community are contacting him because they don't feel safe leaving the house anymore, and also that some are contacting him because they are worried for his safety as an Indian public representative. 'My parents are telling not to go out too late, not to get on the bus, it's sad actually,' Feljin said. 'Mates that I grew up with and went to school with are talking about leaving Ireland. These are people who have been in Ireland since they were 9 or ten-years-old. 'One of my friends is a healthcare assistant who cycles from appointment to appointment in Finglas, and he is being racially abused everyday. He wants to go and work in healthcare somewhere else.' Winifred, a Nigerian woman who has lived in Ireland for over two decades, who works in the Department of Foreign affairs, said that she went to the protest to show solidarity and speak out against the attacks that have been happening. 'On my break I have to go and protest. My colleagues don't hae to do that, but I don't feel safe anymore coming in and out of work,' she said. Tánaiste Simon Harris and Minister of State with responsibility for Migration, Colm Brophy met with members of the Indian community on Monday to discuss recent attacks on Indian citizens. Gardaí have said that the Garda diversity unit is working with the Federation of Indian Communities in Ireland to address present concerns and that the force 'would like to reassure those of an ethnic or minority background that we are here to keep you safe'. It's understood that the Justice Minister plans to meet with Indian community groups this week. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
2 hours ago
- The Journal
Gang leader thought to be linked to kidnap of Irishwoman is placed on FBI ‘Most Wanted' list
A GANG LEADER believed to be linked to the kidnapping of Irish missionary Gena Heraty has been placed on the FBI's 'Most Wanted' list. On 3 August, Gena was abducted along with seven others, including a three-year-old child, from the Sainte-Hélène orphanage in Kenscoff, Haiti . Gena, a native of Westport, Co Mayo, oversees the Sainte-Helene orphanage in Kenscoff, 10km southeast of the capital Port-au-Prince. The facility is operated by humanitarian organisation Nos Petits Frères et Sœurs (Our Little Brothers and Sisters). Gena Heraty, who was kidnapped from an orphanage in Haiti. University of Limerick University of Limerick It is believed the gang behind the abduction are associated with Viv Ansanm, a powerful criminal alliance that has seized control of much of Kenscoff. Jimmy Cherizier is a former officer in the Haitian National Police and currently the leader of Viv Ansanm. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information that leads to his arrest or conviction. 'There's a good reason that there's a $5 million reward for information leading to Cherizier's arrest,' US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said at a press conference. Advertisement 'He's a gang leader responsible for heinous human rights abuses, including violence against American citizens in Haiti,' she added. Cherizier and another man, Bazile Richardson, have been indicted on charges of conspiring to transfer funds from the US to fund gang activities in Haiti. The Justice Department said that Cherizier and Richardson, a naturalised US citizen who was arrested in Texas last month, raised funds from members of the Haitian diaspora in the US and had the money transferred to intermediaries in the Caribbean nation. Cherizier allegedly used the funds to pay salaries to members of his gang and purchase firearms. Cherizier has ties to the Dominican Republic but is currently believed to be located in Port au Prince. He is also known as Barbecue, BBQ, or Babekyo, has tattoos on his right forearm and is 48-years-old. In 2020, Cherizier was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, which targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption. The former policeman heads an alliance of gangs whose members are accused of murder, robbery, extortion, rape, targeted assassinations, drug trafficking and kidnappings. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, with swaths of the country and the vast majority of the capital Port-au-Prince under the control of armed gangs. Despite the deployment of a Kenyan-led multinational force to back up Haiti's police, violence has continued to soar. At least 3,141 people have been killed in the first half of this year, according to figures released last month by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Related Reads Inside Port au Prince: Purge-like gang violence, drone strikes and millions going hungry Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV recently called for the release of Gena and the seven others who were abducted earlier this month. During his Angelus prayer last Sunday, the Pope remarked that the 'situation of the people of Haiti is increasingly desperate'. The situation of the Haitian people is increasingly desperate. There are constant reports of murders, violence of all kinds, human trafficking, forced exile, and kidnappings. I make a heartfelt appeal to all responsible to release the hostages immediately, and I ask for the… — Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) August 10, 2025 'Reports of murders, violence of all kinds, human trafficking, forced exile and kidnappings continue to pour in,' he added. He made a 'heartfelt appeal to all those responsible to release the hostages immediately'. Pope Leo also called for the 'firm support of the international community to create the social and institutional conditions that will allow the Haitian people to live in peace'. Meanwhile, the Catholic Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince described the kidnappings as an 'attack on society' which took place in a 'climate of dehumanisation'. -With additional reporting from © AFP 2025 Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Post
6 hours ago
- Irish Post
Irishman accused of drug smuggling dies in Ecuador prison
A 64-year-old Irish man from the Midlands has died in an Ecuadorian prison just days after being arrested in connection with a significant cocaine trafficking case, authorities have confirmed. The man was detained on August 1 at Guayaquil Airport after police allegedly found 15 kilograms of cocaine in his luggage. According to Ecuador's national police, the drugs were bound for Spain and had an estimated street value of approximately €600,000. The operation also led to the seizure of two guns, multiple phones, a weighing scale and GPS devices. The Irish nationals were formally charged and remanded in custody following an appearance before an investigating magistrate on suspicion of trafficking controlled substances. As reported by The Irish Independent, the older man became sick while in custody and died in hospital on August 6, just five days after the arrest. While officials have not publicly disclosed the official cause of death, it is understood he suffered a heart attack. His son, who was arrested alongside the man, remains in an Ecuadorian prison awaiting further legal proceedings. Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed it is providing consular support to the family of the deceased. In a brief statement, the department said it is aware of the case but declined to comment further, citing standard policy around consular confidentiality. Efforts are underway to repatriate the deceased man's body to Ireland from Guayaquil, a major port city and a known hub in international drug trafficking routes. The country has ramped up anti-narcotics operations in recent years, including coordinated inspections at airports and seaports. The Ecuadorian Ministry of the Interior said the arrest of the two Irish nationals was part of one such coordinated operation, which successfully prevented what police estimated to be the distribution of over 147,000 doses of cocaine. See More: Crime, Drugs, Ecuador
