Irishman found dead in burnt-out car in southern Spain

AN IRISHMAN was found dead in a burnt-out car on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain yesterday.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said the body of the 57-year-old was found in the vehicle on the outskirts of Malaga.

“We have been in touch with the family and we are offering his family consular assistance,” she said.

It is understood the body of the man, who has not been named, was found in the passenger seat of the vehicle in a car park outside a shopping centre near Fuengirola.

Spanish authorities contacted the Irish Embassy in Madrid yesterday and informed them the body had been found on the outskirts of the holiday town.

The Foreign Affairs spokeswoman added that there was no indication whether the man had been on holiday or had been living in the country.

The body was reportedly found at dawn near the commercial centre of Calahonda de Mijas, a small town popular with Irish tourists.

At 5.45am, local residents called police to report a burning car in the town.

While firemen worked to put out the fire, they realised that there was a corpse inside the vehicle. The car is reported to have had a British registration.