First pictures of friends ‘killed instantly’ when car flipped in horror crash

These are the first pictures of four friends who died instantly when their car flipped on its roof in a horror smash.

John Harley and Mícheál Roarty, both aged 24, Sean Harkin, 22, and Daniel Scott, in his 20s, died when their Toyota Corolla car they were travelling in left the road near Magheraroarty in Donegal, Ireland, on Sunday evening.

It is understood all four young men died instantly when the car flipped onto its roof, the Irish Daily Mirror reported.

The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the heart of the tight-knit community and all involved were members of both local soccer and GAA teams.

It emerged Daniel Scott was preparing to start a new career in Denmark and the friends were saying goodbye to each other.

Gardai immediately sealed off the road on Sunday night following the horrific crash on the rugged country road between Gortahork and Gaoth Dobhair.

The emergency services were on the scene within minutes but all four men were pronounced dead a short time later.

Local priest Fr Brian O’Fearraigh, said the scene was “the stuff of nightmares".

He said: “To look down into the valley where the accident happened and to see the sirens and to go to the scene was just the stuff of nightmares.

“Two communities had been plunged into sadness by what had happened. Words fall silent.

"And then relatives of those in the crash began to arrive and we just stood there and hugged,” he said.

Fr O’Fearraigh paid tribute to all emergency services who responded to the scene of the accident.

Police have appealed for information about the movements of the men’s car before the tragedy.

Gardai Superintendent David Kelly appealed for any sightings of the car before the crash.

He said: “When Gardai attended the scene they found one vehicle which was the Toyota Corolla, hatchback, silver in colour and it was off the road. There were four casualties.

“Also in attendance was the HSE ambulance service and our colleagues from the Donegal county council fire and rescue service.

“As you can imagine it was nine o’clock at night and it was dark. It was a tragic scene. Family members arrived and so there was good work done by all the emergency services in difficult conditions.

“I would like to sincere, on behalf of the Gardai and my other colleagues, to offer my sincere condolences to the family, friends and the community after this tragic incident.

“I would like to make an appeal to the public and to the local community. If anybody saw that silver Toyota Corolla 01DL travelling in the direction of Magheraroarty yesterday evening prior to 8.40pm or indeed earlier in the day please contact the Gardai at Milford Garda station,” he said.

Principal Ms Meave Sweeney said three of the four young men involved in the crash attended nearby Pobolscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola.


She told RTE: “They were three lovely lads, gentlemen is how we would describe them, many people have fond memories of them, staff members, people in the school community.

"Sean went to LYIT qualifying as an electrician, Daniel went to LYIT in Letterkenny and he became a civil engineer, he was taking up a new post in Denmark, within the next week and John Harley would have gone to Sligo IT and he was also working as an electrician.

“It certainly is devastating for the whole school community this morning. It has been heart wrenching. Our thoughts and our prayers are with the families at this time because it’s unimaginable what they’re going through at this moment.

“One of them has a brother still attending the school and the others have cousins and friends here in the school.

"This is a small school, 460 students, it’s very much a family, it’s a community school, they would have been regarded as our family. They would have strong connections in the area.

“This morning we gathered the whole school team together and then what we did was we, as a school community, we got together and we resorted to prayer for the students, for the past pupils, and for their families at this time.

“That’s how we get through these things, through prayer and positive thoughts for those past students and for those families.”

Local councillor Seamus O’Domhnaill said the victims were all "very active" in their community.

He said: “They were widely known in West Donegal, from Creeslough right through to the Rosses. They were four great young men that would epitomise everything you’d want to have in your county by way of young men.”

“In recent weeks, we know in Donegal of a number of tragedies, and indeed nationally.

“We thought we were getting over the road traffic collisions but unfortunately this brings it all back to bear for every family in the county that has lost somebody through a traffic collision or accident.

“Unfortunately there are four more families and wider communities that are affected. We must remember them, sympathise with them and be there for them into the future,” Cllr O’Domhnaill said.

Gardai are now launching a full investigation into the cause of the crash.

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