Man fatally injured in East Clare collision

One person has died and another injured in a road traffic collision in Co Clare this morning.

The two-car crash happened shortly before 5.45am on the main R352 Ennis to Scarrif Road between Tulla and Feakle.

It’s understood that one car travelling east from the Ennis direction lost control on a bend in the townland of Ballinahinch and collided with an oncoming car.

Gardaí, National Ambulance Service paramedics and units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Scarriff station responded to the scene.

On arrival they found that the driver and sole occupant of one car, a man in his 20s, had been fatally injured. The driver of the second vehicle was also injured and taken by to hospital by ambulance for treatment. He was also travelling alone and his injuries are not believed to be serious.

The victim’s body was removed from the scene by hearse at around 9.10am and transported under Garda escort to University Hospital Limerick where a postmortem examination will take place later.

The R352 road between Bodyke and Ennis is currently closed while Garda Forensic Collision Investigators conduct a technical examination of the scene. Local diversions are in place. The road is not expected to reopen until late afternoon.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to come forward and any road users with video footage (including dash cam) is asked to make this available to them.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Ennis Garda Station 065 684 8100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.

Investigations are ongoing.

Meanwhile, a search was carried out at the scene of this morning’s fatal road traffic collision in Co Clare amid concerns that there may have been a passenger in one of the cars involved.

It’s feared that another person was possibly in the vehicle in which a man in his 20s was fatally injured in a two-car collision at Ballinahinch on the R352 Ennis to Scarriff road at 5.45am today.

Once Gardaí received information that there could be a person missing the area, officers and fire crews from Scarriff station promptly commenced a search of the roadside and local lands.

Gardaí are also attempting to make contact with the person in an effort to establish whether they were in the car and if so, whether they were injured.

It’s feared that the passenger, if there was one, may have suffered an injury that could have left them confused. If the person left the vehicle, they could be wandering in a disoriented state in the area.

Fire crews initially began to search roadside ditches and nearby lands using handheld thermal imaging cameras.

Gardaí also sought assistance from Clare Civil Defence who dispatched a drone team to the area. A Civil Defence team launched a drone and is conducting a search of a wide area around the scene.

No person was found.