THE THREE VICTIMS of a collision in Co Tyrone yesterday have been named locally.
A group of seven people were returning from a funeral in England when the collision occurred between a minivan and a lorry at around 7.20am yesterday morning, on the A5 Tullyvar Road near Aughnacloy.
The victims have been named as Dan McKane, his sister Christine Duffy, and their aunt Julia McSorley, who are all from the Strabane area.
They were returning from a family funeral.
Four others were also in the collision and taken to hospital.
Fr Declan Boland, from Strabane, said the community “is still trying to come to terms with the enormity of the loss”.
He told BBC NI’s North West Today: “This was a family coming back after burying their aunt, and to hear that a brother and a sister and an aunt have all been taken so quickly in this tragic accident, it is really too hard to comprehend.”
Fr Boland called it an “unspeakable tragedy” and added that the community is “profoundly saddened and deeply shocked”.
Fr Boland was in Christine Duffy’s home yesterday following the collision and said the “silence was overwhelming”.
The local priest also revealed that two of those who were hospitalised yesterday are currently in post-operative care in Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital after “being badly injured”.
However, Fr Boland said “they will come through”.
He noted that the other two people involved in the collision who were travelling in the minivan were able to return home yesterday.
A vigil will be held this evening at 7pm at the Holy Grotto in Strabane.
Fr Boland noted that the last time there was a gathering at the Grotto for in memory of the Creeslough disaster.
Local GAA club Strabane Sigersons has encouraged the community to attend the vigil, adding: “We know that the strong Strabane community will rally behind these families in the coming days, weeks and months.”
A Mass will also be held for the victims in Aughnacloy tonight.
Meanwhile, the PSNI stated that it is aware of people sharing images of the crash scene on social media platforms, and has implored the public to desist from doing so.
Superintendent Mervyn Seffen said: “Three people have sadly lost their lives in this tragic collision and our thoughts are with their family and friends today. Do not add to their distress by viewing or sharing these images.”
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