17 hours ago
Second person dies following road crash in Carndonagh, Co Donegal
A second person has died following a road traffic collision in Carndonagh, Co Donegal on Wednesday evening.
An Garda Síochána said the woman (20s) who was driving the vehicle died at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast on Thursday.
A six-year-old girl was fatally injured in the crash on the R240 road at Carrowmore, Glentogher, which involved a car and a van. Gardaí and the emergency services were alerted to the crash shortly before 6.30pm.
Two others people who were travelling in the vehicle remain in hospital.
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'A female child, who was a rear passenger, is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Royal Victoria Hospital,' An Garda Síochána said in a statement.
'A male front seat passenger (30s) is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Altnagelvin Hospital, Derry.'
The road was closed on Thursday while a technical examination was carried out but it has since reopened.
The scene of the crash on the R240 between Quigleys Point and Carndonagh in North Donegal. Photograph: Joe Dunne/North West Newspix
Albert Doherty, a Sinn Féin councillor for the Carndonagh area, said the local community was 'raw with grief' at the news of the crash.
'Our local community just feel devastated that once again a local family have been challenged and having to face the loss of a loved one, it's terrible news here.'
Cllr Doherty told RTÉ Morning Ireland that conditions for driving at the time were favourable, but that the road in question had been the scene of previous fatal crashes.
'Unfortunately locally here in Carndonagh at the turn of this year, we had the tragic loss of a young man. And here again now, a local family are having to face the terrible, terrible burden of losing a loved one...'
A parish priest who rushed to hospital following the tragic crash said he would never forget the scenes in the emergency department.
Fr Con McLaughlin attended Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry as soon as he heard about the incident in an effort to provide comfort for those involved.
'On hearing about the accident I went straight over to Altnagelvin Hospital and the scene (in accident and emergency) is something I will never forget,' he said.
'In the community there is a shock and a disbelief. One can only imagine what the family are going through and I witnessed that pain in the hospital last night.
'The scene in the hospital was just so, so sad. You had doctors and nurses running around trying to do their best to help these poor helpless people. It is something I will never, ever forget.
'I just wanted to be a presence there for the family and I did not speak too much but I just wanted them to know that we are all there for them.'
Sinn Féin TD for Donegal Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said it was 'such heart breaking news this morning about another tragedy on our roads in Donegal'.
Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them. Any road users who may have camera footage (including dashcam) and were travelling in the area between 6pm and 6.30pm on Wednesday are asked to make this footage available to gardaí.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Buncrana Garda station at 074 932 0540, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
