Female driver nearly died on same stretch of highway just days before Diogo Jota and his brother killed in Lamborghini crash

Daily Mail​

16 hours ago

A female driver nearly died on the same dangerous highway where Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota and his younger brother only died in a Lamborghini crash.
The Portuguese forward was travelling in the supercar alongside his younger brother, Andre Silva, 26, a around 12.35am (local time).
The tyre of the 200mph Lamborghini Huracan is said to have blown out while overtaking on the A-52 at Cernadilla near Zamora in northwestern Spain, close to the border with Portugal.
The acid green sportscar careered off the road, and rolled before bursting into flames setting alight surrounding greenery. Emergency services rushed to the scene but they unfortunately could not save the brothers.
The brothers were on a road trip to Santander, northern Spain, to catch a ferry to the UK after the Liverpool player and Portuguese international was advised not to travel by plane following lung surgery.
It has since emerged another serious road accident had happened on the same road only eight days before the footballer and his brother's tragic death.
A 60-year-old woman was seriously injured at kilometre 65, on the same road Jota died, last Wednesday at around 11.30am (local time).
Her car had come off the road, while driving towards Benavente, leaving the woman trapped. She was later freed by firefighters and taken to hospital, Spanish outlet AS reports.
Pictures of the severe crash have come to light online showing the battered car in a ditch. Luckily, the driver survived the incident.
Following the Jota's death on the road, a central government representative for the Zamora province, has since branded the A-52 road as 'very dangerous'.
In 2023, there were 19 road accidents on the A-52, with an average of 1.5 deaths per incidents, according to The Mirror.
The stretch of highway is also known to be 'riddled' with 'constant potholes' as locals have also previously complained of the poor signage, according to the AEA club.
Around 40 pothole complaints were made by drivers to Spain's transport ministry in a single month in 2024, La Opinion de Zamora reported.
The region Zamora is also known for its rugged terrain with the A-52 running through mountainous and forested areas. The area also suffers from recurrent fog spells and limited lighting.
In spite of the tricky terrain, the Spanish road is a key route taken by drivers after leaving northern Portugal as they head for the ports of Santander and Bilbao or drive north-east towards France.
But the road is renowned for being an area of 'irresponsible driving', totting up nearly 15,000 speeding fines in 2020, it was reported in La Opinion de Zamora.
Four years ago, a campaign was launched to help control the speeding issue and bring awareness to the zones where people speed or there are frequent accidents.
The acid green front of what appears to be the front of Jota's Lamborghini Huracan lies at the side of the road where the incident took place in the early hours of Thursday morning
With its sharp curves and frequent wildlife crossings, the A-52 is often cited as one of the worst to drive on.
A recent poll by Spain's Organisation of Users and Consumers found that drivers believed the A-52 was one of the worst routes in all of Spain, highlighting the condition of the roads as well as the lack of safety barriers.
The excessive amount of roadworks at the time was also a huge concern for the 1,259 drivers that were quizzed.
It comes as Jota's heartbroken family arrived at the Portuguese chapel where the Liverpool forward's coffin as well as his brother's was taken for a wake.
Rute Cardoso, who only married the 28-year-old footballer on June 22, walked into Sao Cosme Chapel in Gondomar after returning with her husband's body from Spain late last night ahead of tomorrow's funeral.
The town overlooking Porto is where the couple met and started dating as teenagers. The childhood sweethearts had married less than two weeks ago.
The siblings' mother Isabel, father Joaquim and their grandfather were also spotted at the chapel. Portugal's Prime Minister Luis Montenegro followed along with Diogo's agent Jorge Mendes.
Rute visited the wake with relatives, some of whom were seen embracing outside.
It came as Diogo's friend, former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, wiped away tears as he laid flowers and a scarf outside Anfield this afternoon.
Family members were filmed embracing each other as they broke down in tears before walking together towards the chapel.
The wake proper is set to start around 4pm, with Portugal's president Marcelo de Sousa confirming he will be among those arriving at that time to pay their last respects ahead of a funeral mass in the neighbouring church - the Igrega Matriz de Gondomar - at 10am tomorrow.
It is not yet clear how public the wake will be.
The chapel and neighbouring church are around a half-hour drive from the church in Porto where Diogo and his wife got married less than two weeks ago.
Local priest Jose Manuel Macedo initially revealed the funeral would take place at 4pm today before confirming yesterday evening it had been put back to tomorrow morning.
'We're available to celebrate [their life] with everyone and to share the pain and the Christian hope,' Macedo told
It is understood the delay was linked to minor paperwork issues the men's loved ones, who were still in Spain until late yesterday, were trying to resolve before being able to repatriate the bodies.
The Sao Cosme Chapel in the town of Gondomar. Flowers gifted from Porto FC arrive
Gondomar Town Hall issued an emotional statement late yesterday as it confirmed it had decreed a day of official mourning.
It said: 'Gondomar Town Hall expresses its deepest sympathy at the death of international footballer Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, illustrious Gondomar residents who left prematurely, leaving behind a remarkable sporting career and an example of dedication and professionalism.
'Throughout his career, Diogo Jota stood out for his footballing talent and for the committed way in which he always represented the region and the country, winning national and international recognition.
'At this time of sorrow and consternation, Gondomar Town Hall extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of these two Gondomar residents.
'By way of tribute, the Mayor of Gondomar Luis Filipe Araujo, has decreed by official order a day of municipal mourning to be observed this Friday, 4 July.
'During this period, the municipal flag will be flown at half-mast in all municipal buildings and facilities.'
The mayor described Diogo Jota today as 'an extraordinary talent and a true ambassador for Gondomar' where he grew up and went to school.
The bodies of Diogo and his brother were greeted by heartbroken supporters and applause as their coffins arrived at a church in Portugal ahead of their funeral.