By PAULO SILVESTRE & DAISY SAMPSON
An American woman died and three children were injured in a car accident on the A22 on July 19 near the motorway exit to Loulé.
The accident happened when the mother and children, who were on holiday in the Algarve, were travelling to Quinta do Lago where they were staying.
According to the police, the car went off the road a few kilometres from the Loulé exit for reasons not yet determined by investigators.
“After a slight curve, the car that the woman was driving went out of the motorway lane, smashed into the protection barriers and hit the slopes on the side of the road violently.
“Some debris and one of the front wheels were thrown into the road and two cars following in the same direction were not able to avoid hitting the debris. However, no other injuries were recorded,” said a spokesman from the police.
The woman, who was 53, died instantly due to severe injuries while her three children suffered minor injuries and were taken by INEM emergency services to Faro Hospital.
A spokesman from Faro Hospital told the Algarve Resident: “The three children involved in the accident were admitted at 9.50pm to the paediatric emergency department.
“They had minor bruises, which were treated and they were discharged at about 11.50pm. According to our data, the children are nine, 11 and 15 years-old.”
As well as clinical care, the spokesman said the children also received psychological support at the hospital.
The causes of the accident are being investigated by officers of the NICAV – Centre for Criminal Investigation of Traffic Accidents of Faro GNR police.
A spokesman from the US Embassy in Lisbon told the Algarve Resident: “Due to privacy act restrictions, we cannot comment on the cases of private American citizens.
“However, in general, in a case like this, we would ensure the wellbeing of American citizen minors and assist the family with funeral arrangements.”
He added: “The Embassy encourages all American residents and visitors to Portugal to register their travel to Portugal at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui so that we may assist them in case of an emergency.”
Do you have a view on this story? Please email Editor Inês Lopes at [email protected]
1″>news
