Last night, tragedy struck as a driver under the influence of alcohol and drugs plowed into a group of holidaymakers in Lanzarote, resulting in the deaths of a British couple and their five-month-old baby, as officials have confirmed.
The devastating collision occurred in the tourist hub of Playa Blanca, leaving six individuals injured, including a British family on vacation and a mother and daughter from Sweden, as reported by Mail Online.
All of those injured are still in hospital, local officials have said, and the father and grandmother of the five-month-old who died suffered the most serious injuries.
The driver of the car that mounted the pavement and smashed into them is a 23-year-old British woman who lives on the island, and is not currently in custody, officials said.
Mayor Oscar Noda said that the British family had been ‘walking along the pavement in a correct and normal way when they were mown down by a vehicle that was totally out of control.’
‘The moments that followed were very delicate and very traumatic,’ he added.
Yaiza Town Hall has declared two days of mourning and organised a minute’s silence.
Mayor Noda, said this morning: ‘The accident caused seven victims, including the five-year-old baby that died.
‘The survivors came from two families, one from Sweden and the other of British origin. They are the parents of the child that died and the baby’s maternal grandparents.
‘The ones in the worst condition this morning are the baby’s father and maternal grandmother. All the survivors are still in hospital.
‘We hope they all recover.’
He added: ‘I am going to declare two days of mourning and tomorrow at midday a minute’s silence will be held at the doors of the town hall.
Town hall officials also confirmed today that two people from Sweden, a mother and daughter, were hurt, along with four British people were injured and another died.
The unnamed driver is said to have claimed after the incident that she had experienced a problem with her steering.
Witnesses told police they thought she had been going too fast, although there was no mention of drink and drugs being a possible factor until town hall officials revealed her nationality and the new details in the ongoing investigation.
Her whereabouts this morning were not immediately clear but she is expected to appear in court today or tomorrow pending a formal arrest.
The court hearing would take place behind closed doors as is normal in Spain where only trials take place in public.
An investigating magistrate would have to decide whether to remand her in custody or release her on bail pending an ongoing probe.
Island authorities are not naming her at present and have only confirmed her nationality and age as well as saying she is resident in Playa Blanca where the tragedy occurred.
One well-placed source said she worked in the area.
Another said: ‘She tested positive for both alcohol and drugs but the police haven’t released any details about amounts.’
A police spokesman said: ‘We’re still not in a position to release information about the nationalities and ages of the victims but what I can say is that we’re not talking about one family.
‘It’s an area which is popular with pedestrians and it wasn’t just one group of members of the same family that were hit. Different groups were involved.’
