Entire family of five killed in horror rental car crash in Portugal
The victims include 20 year old twins, their 55 year old father and their 51 year old mother. The 19 year old girlfriend of one of the siblings also perished in the horrific accident, which claimed the life of a Portuguese man travelling alone in the other vehicle involved in the crash.
It's believed the group was heading north from the Algarve towards Mourao in the district of Evora, near the Spanish border, around 1.40am this morning when disaster struck on the IP2 main road in Castro Verde, roughly halfway to their final destination.
It comes on the same day a man in his 60s lost his life in single vehicle road traffic collision in Co. Tipperary.
Police sources close to the investigation confirmed that all four family members killed were British passport holders, despite the parents of the twins originally hailing from Mourao and returning to the municipality for holidays.
They added that the twins were both born in the UK, despite Mourao Town Hall describing all four as originating from the municipality but residing in Britain. The girlfriend of one of the boys is believed to be of Polish origin but also lived in the UK, reports the Mirror.
The family's residence in Britain or when they emigrated from the UK remains unknown, but the man travelling alone in the other car has been identified locally as Ruben Goncalves.
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Mr Gonclaves is understood to have been from a town in Portugal called Almodovar. He was travelling south on the IP2.
The circumstances surrounding the fatal accident are currently under investigation by the local GNR police force, it has been confirmed. Mourao's town hall officials have declared two days of mourning starting from tomorrow.
A spokesman 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 organised by the Municipality are cancelled for the entire weekend."
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