LAST UPDATE | 29 Jun

THREE IRISH PEOPLE have died after a collision in Spain in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The deceased, who were from Mullingar, Co Westmeath, have been named locally as Amy McCullagh, Mark McCullagh and Michaela Newcombe.

Their car plunged 100ft down an embankment after smashing through a crash barrier on the A7 motorway east of Malaga after 2.30am. 

Emergency services pronounced the three dead at the scene.

A fourth occupant, a 35-year-old man, was seriously injured in the two-car collision and was rushed to Malaga Regional Hospital.

Firefighters had to free survivors from the wreckage in the accident.

A woman in her 60s was also injured in the collision. She was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital.

Local Sinn Féin councillor Julie McCourt said a minutes silence was held in Westmeath Council Chamber before a meeting this evening.

“Our hearts are with the families and all who loved them in Mullingar and beyond,” she told The Journal.

“It’s a devastating loss for the community and we’re holding them in our hearts and prayers.”

McCourt wants the families of the deceased to know the community is behind them, and encouraged the public to give the families time to process what has happened.

Robert Troy, Fianna Fáil TD for Longford-Westmeath, described the incident as “devastating”.

Speaking on Morning Ireland, he said he knows the family of one of those involved “quite well” and that he spoke to them on Sunday.

“Needless to say, they’re absolutely devastated.

“It’s the worst of phone calls to get, they only went on holidays at the end of last week and to get this call yesterday evening was heartbreaking.

“These people went on holidays and their families are now processing that some of them aren’t coming back home and that is an awful thing to have to deal with.”

Troy said he has engaged with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy in Spain and that every assistance is being provided to the families.

Foreign affairs minister Helen McEntee described it as an “absolutely devastating accident”.

“The most important thing now is that their families are supported, that they’re given every assistance possible,” McEntee said.

“Certainly, my department and the consular teams on the ground in Malaga are doing just that, and will continue to provide them with assistance.”

With additional reporting from Sophie Finn.