MOURÃO, Portugal — A summer holiday meant to reunite family with their roots has ended in unimaginable tragedy after four members of a British family were killed in a head-on collision in southern Portugal.
Twins Domingos and Afonso, both 20, were travelling with their parents, Jose Fale, 55, and Maria Joao, 51, when their rental car collided with another vehicle in the early hours of Saturday. The family, residents of England with deep ties to Mourão in Portugal’s Évora District, had collected a Nissan Juke from Faro Airport just hours earlier.
Local authorities confirmed the crash occurred at approximately 1:40 a.m. on the IP2 motorway near Castro Verde, as the family was travelling north from the Algarve towards Mourão for their annual summer visit. The driver of the other vehicle — named locally as Ruben Goncalves, from Almodôvar — is also reported to have died from his injuries.
Photographs released to the media show the family smiling together, capturing a moment of happiness now overshadowed by grief.
The Portuguese National Republican Guard (GNR) is investigating the exact circumstances of the fatal collision. Early reports suggest both cars sustained catastrophic damage in the high-impact crash.
In Mourão, the local council has declared two days of official mourning, cancelling all municipal events over the weekend as a mark of respect.
In an emotional statement, a spokesperson for the municipality said:
“There were four occupants in the car, all from Mourão, and a young woman with ties to the family. Residents of England, they were travelling from Faro to Mourão for their usual and well-deserved vacation. It is with great sadness that the Municipality announces this information, offering its condolences to the families and friends of the victims.”
The deaths have sent shockwaves through Mourão, a tight-knit community where the family was well known and warmly regarded. Neighbours and relatives have begun gathering to support one another, lighting candles and offering prayers for the souls of the deceased.
Authorities have urged motorists to take extra care on the IP2, a route that has seen several serious accidents in recent years.
The investigation into the cause of the collision remains ongoing.