Five people including a woman from Scotland have died following a horror two car crash in the Republic of Ireland.
Emergency services were called to Ardee Road on the L3168 in the townland of Gibstown in Dundalk, County Louth, after the alarm was raised shortly after 9pm on Saturday, November 15.
Gardaí, Irish police, have confirmed that five occupants of a Volkswagen Golf – three men and two women – were killed in the collision. All five were in their early 20s. Officers have since confirmed that one of the victims was a woman from Scotland.
The two occupants of the second vehicle involved in the crash, a man and a woman, were also taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda for medical treatment for non-life threatening injuries.
A section of the L3168 remains closed to allow Garda Forensic Collision Investigators to conduct a technical examination of the scene with local diversions are in place.
An investigation into the fatal collision is underway and Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them.
Superintendent Charlie Armstrong said: "An Garda Síochána are currently investigating all of the circumstances of a Fatal Road Traffic Collision here on the L3168, Gibstown, just outside Dundalk, Co. Louth. Yesterday evening, just after 9pm there was a serious Road Traffic Collision involving two vehicles, a Volkswagen Golf and a Toyota Landcruiser.
"Five occupants of the Volkswagen Golf (three males and two females all in the early 20s) are deceased at the scene.
"One occupant of the Volkswagen Golf, a male in his 20s, was removed to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda for treatment of serious, non-life threatening, injuries. The two occupants of the second vehicle, a male and a female, were also taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda for medical treatment for non-life threatening injuries.
"Family Liaison Officers have been appointed to each of the families to provide support and An Garda Síochána will keep the families updated as to the course of the ongoing investigation. I want to express my condolences and sympathies and the sympathies of every member of An Garda Síochána to the families of the five young adults who lost their lives yesterday evening in this Road Traffic Collision.
"This tragedy, with the loss of five young adults will have a deep impact on families and local communities in Carrickmacross, Dromconrath and in Scotland. This is a shocking, devastating event for these families, their communities and the community here in Dundalk."
Ireland's deputy premier (Tanaiste) Simon Harris said a "veil of deep sadness" had come over the country.
He added: "A veil of deep sadness and shock has come over our country this morning with the news emerging of the devastating loss of five young lives overnight in a road traffic accident in County Louth.
"This morning, my thoughts, and I know the thoughts of people right across our country, are with the families of those who have lost loved ones, their friends, and their communities.
"We keep them in our prayers and in our thoughts now and in the time ahead. I also want to pay tribute to the emergency services.
"One cannot even imagine the extraordinarily difficult and tragic circumstances in which they found themselves working last night as they set about trying to help in the most harrowing of situations."
Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly said in a statement: "Waking up on this day to hear such distressing news from a road accident in county Louth – thoughts and prayers with the families of those who have lost their lives, the injured and the emergency services dealing with the situation at the scene. RIP."
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