A father and son in the U.K. have died in a car crash just days after Christmas, according to multiple news reports.
The two men died on Friday, Dec. 27, after an Audi and a Mercedes collided outside the village of Killylea in Northern Ireland, the BBC reports.
The crash occurred around 1 p.m. local time near a bend in Killylea Road, per the Belfast Telegraphand Belfast Live.
Both men were reportedly pronounced dead at the scene while four others were hospitalized, including a baby.
A local priest later identified the two victims killed in the crash as Peter Devlin and his son Loughlin, according to the BBC.
Loughlin and Peter’s remains will remain at his family home in Killylea from Monday, Dec. 30, until removal on Wednesday, Jan. 1, after which a requiem Mass and burial will be held at Church of St. Joseph Tynan, according to their obituaries.
“It is an awful shock to the community, the community is in total shock,” Father Sean Moore told the BBC.
The Killylea Road was closed following the crash on Friday but has since reopened, according to local police.
Detectives with the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Collision Investigation Unit “are investigating the circumstances of the collision, Inspector Cherith Adair said, according to Belfast Live and the Telegraph.
Police want to “hear from witnesses or anyone who may have captured dash-cam or other footage” that could assist with the investigation.
“This Christmas season, which is meant to bring families together in joy and celebration, has been overshadowed by an unimaginable tragedy in our community,” local Councillor Sarah Duffy reportedly said. “Today, we mourn the heartbreaking loss of lives due to a devastating road traffic collision.”
Duffy thanked emergency responders and said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends who are facing this pain, especially at this time of year. We cannot begin to comprehend the depth of their loss, and we stand with them in their grief.”
