Four people have been killed in a horror crash after a UK-registered car careered of a road and smashed into some trees in central Germany.
A man and three women – thought to be two married couples – died when the driver failed to navigate a left-hand bend in northern Hesse.
He slammed his brakes on but was unable to prevent the black saloon leaving the road and crashing through trees before coming to a stop, nearly 30 metres off the road.
The 32-year-old driver and his passengers – aged 30, 31 and 32 – died at the scene of the accident on the L3229 road between Reinhardshagen-Veckerhagen and Grebensteinin.
German police believe they were two married couples, local media reports. The group didn’t live in Germany and their nationalities are under investigation.
But the car involved in the accident was registered in Great Britain and designed for left-hand traffic.
Images taken in the aftermath show the mangled vehicle lying on its side with a shattered windscreen.
Four people have been killed in a horror crash after a UK-registered car careered of a road and smashed into some trees in central Germany. Images taken in the aftermath show the mangled vehicle lying on its side with a shattered windscreen
A man and three women – thought to be two married couples – died when the driver failed to navigate a left-hand bend in northern Hesse. Pictured: Emergency responders at the scene
The 32-year-old driver and his passengers – aged 30, 31 and 32 – died at the scene of the accident (pictured) on the L3229 road between Reinhardshagen-Veckerhagen and Grebensteinin
A police spokeswoman said: ‘A four-passenger car was traveling on the L3229 country road.
‘Upon entering a left-hand bend after a downhill gradient, the vehicle veered off the road to the right for unknown reasons and only came to a stop approximately 30 metres further on in the woods after colliding with trees on the left side of the vehicle.
‘Despite the immediate rescue and recovery efforts, the four vehicle occupants died at the scene of the accident.
‘We are currently treating this as a tragic accident.’
She added: ‘He tried to brake, but then veered off the road to the right.’ As far as police know, there is no speed limit at the scene of the accident.
According to reports, the car was traveling on a country road toward Reinhardshagen shortly after midnight when it crashed.
In a left-hand bend after a downhill gradient, the vehicle left the road. It then collided with several trees in a wooded area.
Locals told of their shock, with one saying: ‘Wildlife is a huge problem on this stretch. If a big boar runs in front of your car, you don’t stand a chance.’
Another added: ‘When you drive downhill there, it tempts you to go too fast and subsequently go off the road.’
Daily Mail has contacted The Foreign Office for comment.
