Two married couples have died after a UK-registered car skidded off the road and crashed in Germany, local police have revealed.
The tragic accident occurred around midnight on Saturday near a highway in the Kassel district of central Germany, just north of Hesse.
A 32-year-old man who was driving the vehicle and three female passengers aged 30, 31, and 32, all died at the scene, despite lifesaving efforts by first responders.
Reports from the Kassel police department suggest that at around 12.30 am on Saturday, the car veered off the road and collided with nearby trees approximately 30 metres from the road.
The phone of one of the victims automatically notified emergency services of the accident, who dispatched an ambulance to the scene. This was shortly followed by fire engines, ambulances, command and emergency support vehicles.
Emergency workers arrived at the scene to find the car lying on its side, wedged between trees. When the car’s roof was removed, they found all four passengers inside.
First responders were given specialist mental health support at the fire station in Reinhardshagen.
A spokesperson for the fire department said, “This high number of deaths is an extraordinary operation for our Reinhardshagen Volunteer Fire Department.
"For some of the emergency personnel, it is the first time they have been confronted with death in this way.
"Therefore, a great deal is being done to help us process these images. We will also discuss this among ourselves and within families, because not everyone can easily shake off what they have seen."
The Hofgeismar police station is actively investigating the accident.
