“All the occupants” died on the spot, confirmed the lieutenant of the GNR, Daniel de Matos, confirming that there were six fatalities, in the accident that occoured on 24th September at around 0700 hrs on the IC8 near Pombal.. The first call for a distress call reported eight people involved in the collision but at the scene firefighters confirmed that six bodies were in the wreckage of the two vehicles.

The bodies have already been removed from the wreckage of the minivans, which would carry workers from two companies and which had a capacity of six passengers each. The victims were all residents of the municipality of Pombal, five of Portuguese nationality and another of Brazilian nationality, revealed the mayor of Pombal, Diogo Mateus.

Daniel de Matos also revealed that one of the vehicles had stopped for work three kilometres before the crash site and that four people and work tools were inside. The fog may have been a factor in the accident.

According to the website of Civil Protection, there were 33 operational supported by 13 vehicles. The accident alert was given at 7.04 am this Monday. Two GNR brigades dedicated to the criminal investigation of accidents gathered evidence in IC8.