Town stunned after three teen deaths

A small Donegal community was plunged into mourning today as it woke to the news that three teenagers had been killed on its roads.

A parish priest said Buncrana was in deep shock as the deaths brought to eight the number of those killed in road accidents in the town this year.

Two 18-year-old boys, both from Buncrana, and a 16-year-old girl, from Dublin, died when the car they were travelling in hit a bridge and crashed into a tree at Ballymagan, near Buncrana, at around 11pm last night.

Father Con McLaughlin, who visited all of the families as the news broke, said it was a terrible tragedy which had left the community stunned.

“Two of these victims live very close to one of two young men who were killed here just a fortnight ago,” he said.

“I watched a number of people gathered at the scene in small groups last night in absolute disbelief at such another horrific tragedy.

“You can never get used to seeing their bodies being carried from the twisted wreckage. They were only children. It’s a terrible cross for the people of Buncrana to bear.”

A fourth passenger, a girl aged 16, was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. Her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

The road was closed off and a forensic examination of the scene was due to take place later today.

The deaths took the number of people killed on Donegal roads this year to 22.