Car crashed early in the morning in Cernache, Coimbra, fatally two scouts teenagers and three adults without reflective vest.
The driver of the car this Saturday morning crashed and struck nine pilgrims in IC2 in Cernache, Coimbra, causing five of them to death, was made accused and will be heard in court on Monday.
According to the commander of the Traffic Detachment of the GNR of Coimbra, captain Sandro Oliveira, the man, about 25 years, “it was made accused, provided the term of identity and residence and was notified to appear in court” to be heard by a judge and determination of any coercive measures.
The victims, two teenagers and three adults, were part of a group of 80 pilgrims from Mortágua zone when the 4 am “nine were collected, four died on the spot and one died en route to hospital,” said the source of fire. In addition to the five dead five injured, three of them in serious condition. They were transported to the Hospital of Coimbra.
The alert for the trampling was given at 4 am Saturday. The vehicle entered screening, crossed the road to the opposite side and the group was collected, despite the jacket with reflective tape and flashlights that led to do see. Followed towards Coimbra / Condeixa, the same as the car that picked them behind.
According to the GNR, the five fatalities are between 17 and 53 years old. Father António Correia Alves, the Mortágua parish, told Publico that among them are two boys, 16 and 17, who belonged to a group of scouts from the same locality whose mission was to help the pilgrims. They had all risen an hour earlier to take advantage of the cool morning for the walk, and were beginning the second day of pilgrimage when it happened.
The commander of Condeixa fire, Fernando Goncalves, told Publico that although the accident have given a point considered black by Estradas de Portugal have not been so causing the screening, since accidents often take place upwards , Condeixa-Coimbra, and in this case occurred in the downward direction. “Given the fact that it is a black point, Estradas de Portugal suppressed one of the tracks to create more traffic conditions for pilgrims,” ​​he adds. It was precisely this “safety box” properly checked, as you call it the commander, that the victims were caught between two curves, for an old Audi, driven by an Eastern immigrant resident in the area. The motorist, who entered against before running over the group, only suffered minor injuries – “dislocated a finger of one hand and minor abrasions,” according to information provided by the GNR.
wounded stable
Four injured were transferred to the University Hospital of Coimbra and one for the Children’s Hospital, he added. The latter is a 16 year old, that by late morning, was “clinically stable,” revealed the source of the hospitals Lusa.
Among patients is “A 23 year old woman with fractures of the lower limbs and an upper limb” which has undergone a surgery, a 71 year old male and a 64 year old who “are polytrauma and are clinically stable”; and “another 24 year old man who is clinically stable and is expected to have high” later this Saturday.
At Mass 11 am Saturday, the rector of the Shrine of Fatima, Father Carlos Cabecinhas recalled the dead and the injured from this accident, and asked for prayers for their family. “In the Eucharist this day we have particularly in mind the five deadly victims of the accident this morning in Cernache, ask the four serious injuries who are in hospital,” he prayed Carlos Cabecinhas also asked the faithful to pray for the families of the victims who “live one moment of pain and wonder about why such a moment. ”
Three days of mourning in Mortágua

The Chamber of Mortágua, in the district of Viseu, declared three days of mourning for the pilgrims who belonged to that municipality. Also associations canceled activities they had planned for these days. “This is the darkest moment a local leader with over 20 years [functions] can have in life. It is a tragedy that befell a group of friends, everyone knows each other,” said José Júlio North Lusa in a yellow safety vest.
The mayor moved from Mortágua to the crash site shortly after the event and witnessed the “violence” of the clash, as a result of the light vehicle screening, which followed the speed says. Next to Mortágua church focused dozens of people in the middle of Saturday morning, to receive the pilgrims who returned home in two buses, having been upheld on the premises of the volunteer fire Condeixa-a-Nova .
Already on Friday had been run over two pilgrims in the town of Aguas Ferreas, in the town of Pombal, also a car that crashed.
GNR advises pilgrims to avoid this road
The GNR advises pilgrims to exchange the IC2 by less busy roads, in order to run less risk. On the road where it happened the accident the maximum speed of 90 km / hour, is far superior to the old National Road 1, where hikers can also circular, explains commander of Traffic Detachment of the GNR of Coimbra, the captain Sandro Oliveira. The same official says that in addition to envergarem clothing and use lights that allow them to remain visible even at night, can still, when planning the itinerary, check which are the most dangerous traffic points to deviate from them, and, in case of large groups, advance notify the authorities will pass where and at what time, so that PSP or GNR they can provide monitoring, thereby increasing safety.