Update: The victim has been named locally as Mikey Foley from Dangan, Tulla, Co Clare.
A young man has died following a road traffic collision in south county Galway this afternoon.
The incident involved an all-terrain vehicle (ATV / quadbike) which collided with a tractor and trailer and occurred at around 1.15pm on the R353 Gort to Portumna road near Derrybrien. The collision occurred about 2 kilometres from the Galway border with Clare.
Units of Galway Fire and Rescue Service from Gort station responded to the incident along with National Ambulance Service and Gardaí. The HSE’s Athlone-based Emergency Aeromedical Service (EAS) air ambulance was also requested to respond to the incident and landed close to the scene.
The tractor driver was unhurt and is understood to have attempted to resuscitate the gravely injured man by administering CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) while waiting for emergency services to arrive.
The victim, understood to be in his mid-twenties, was however pronounced dead at the scene. His body has been removed from the scene to University Hospital Galway and a post-mortem examination will take place in due course.
The R353 (Gort to Portumna road) is currently closed to traffic and local diversions are in place. Garda Forensic Collision Investigators will conduct a technical examination of the scene.
Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them.
A spokesperson said: “Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the vicinity of Gort, Loughrea and Derrybrien this afternoon, between 12.15pm and 1.15pm, are asked to make this footage available to Gardaí.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Gort Garda Station on 091 636 400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.”
