Tragedy strikes football community as UK twins, aged 20, perish alongside their parents and two others in a devastating head-on collision in Portugal, prompting an outpouring of sympathy from their club.
In a heartbreaking incident, a UK family, including twin brothers aged 20, lost their lives in a car accident in Castro Verde, southern Portugal. The family members who died were Domingos Serrano (55), Maria Serrano (51), and their twin sons Domingos and Afonso (both 20).
The accident also claimed the lives of the 19-year-old girlfriend of one of the sons, a young woman of Polish origin living in the UK, and Ruben Goncalves (36), the driver of the other vehicle, who was a father to a four-year-old son.
The Serrano family, although residents of Thetford, Norwich, were not British nationals. They were on their usual and deserved vacation, travelling from Faro to Mourao when the accident occurred just hours after hiring a rental car.
The news of the tragic incident led to an outpouring of condolences from their local community, including Thetford Town Youth Football Club, where the twins had played football. The club's post stated that the loss of the brothers would leave a "massive void" in the local community.
According to a source close to the investigation, the wreckage was so severe that officers could only recover half a number plate before piecing together who was inside. The grim discovery came after the couple's daughter called the police, unable to reach her parents or brothers after hearing about the crash.
The crash occurred around 1.40am on a stretch of road with a speed limit of 49mph on the IP2 main road near Castro Verde, Portugal, early on Saturday morning. The family, originally from Mourao in the Evora district, had just landed at Faro Airport and were driving north for their summer break.
The family had just rented a Nissan Juke at Faro Airport before the accident. The GNR police force is investigating the cause of the smash. Mourao town hall has declared two days of mourning from Sunday, and all activities and events promoted by the Municipality are cancelled for the entire weekend.
Shocked locals have shared their condolences online, with comments like "Absolute shock, a lovely family, and will be missed" and "Absolutely heartbreaking, such a loss." A spokesman from Mourao town hall offered condolences to the families and friends of the victims.
Ruben Goncalves (36), from Almodovar, was the other driver killed in the crash. He worked at the Neves-Corvo zinc-copper mine.
This tragic incident serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing every moment with our loved ones. Our thoughts and condolences go out to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in this devastating accident.
- The tragic car-accident in Castro Verde, southern Portugal, involving a UK family, has been widely covered in general-news outlets as well as crime-and-justice reports, highlighting the severe consequences of such accidents.
- Despite being residents of Thetford, Norwich, the Serrano family was not of British nationality and had a strong connection to the sports community, particularly Thetford Town Youth Football Club, where their twin sons played football.
- Besides the immediate family members, the accident also claimed the life of Ruben Goncalves, a 36-year-old father from Almodovar who worked at the Neves-Corvo zinc-copper mine, and a 19-year-old Polish woman, the girlfriend of one of the twins.
