Four young women killed and another critical after crash

FOUR young women were killed and another was left in a critical condition after a car crashed into a light truck on the Galway-Mayo border last night.

The car, in which five women, all aged in their 20s, were travelling, struck the light truck on the N17 at about 7.30pm.

Three of the women died at the scene and the fourth died at Mayo General Hospital. The single survivor was described as being in a critical condition at the hospital last night.

The driver of the truck was travelling alone and is said to have suffered non-life threatening injuries. He is also being treated at Mayo General Hospital.

The crash happened on the N17 in the townland of Carrownurlaur. This is between Ballindine, Mayo and Milltown in Galway – north of Tuam. It was raining heavily at the time and road conditions were very poor. Gardaí closed the road off and a full forensic examination will take place this morning.

Meanwhile, a 31-year-old man has died following a collision between two vehicles at Agharra in Co Longford yesterday.

The dead man was the driver of a car that was involved in a crash with a 4x4 on the road between Ratharney and Ballynacargy.

The driver of the other vehicle was taken to the Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar.

Earlier a 58-year-old woman was killed in a crash in the village of Williamstown in Co Galway.

She was the driver of a car which crashed into the front wall of a house on the Glenamaddy Road in the village.

A five-year-old child, who was in the car, sustained injuries and was taken to University Hospital Galway.

The child’s injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.