A fatal road accident on the Greek island of Rhodes has left a mother and daughter dead, while eyewitnesses described scenes of reckless speeding moments before the collision.
The crash took place around midday on Sunday in the village of Afantou, shocking the local community. The victims, aged 57 and 26, were traveling in a car that collided violently with a passing vehicle under circumstances that remain under investigation.
The force of the impact was so severe that the women’s car was reduced to what witnesses described as a mangled mass of metal. Firefighters rushed to the scene and carried out an emergency operation to free the two women, who were found unconscious inside the wreckage.
Despite the rapid response of emergency crews, both victims were pronounced dead after being transported to hospital.
The second vehicle involved in the crash was reportedly a sports car driven by a 45-year-old man. His child and partner were also inside the car at the time of the accident. All three suffered injuries and were taken to hospital to receive medical treatment.
After receiving medical care, the driver was placed under police custody and is expected to appear before a prosecutor on Monday, May 18. Authorities are investigating all possible causes of the crash, while a case file is being prepared for judicial authorities.
According to early witness testimony, the sports car was traveling at excessive speed shortly before the collision.
One eyewitness described the moments leading up to the crash while driving with her husband and children from Rhodes town toward the area of Agios Ioannis in Kallithea.
“We had just passed the traffic lights at the Koskinou junction when we heard a very loud noise coming from behind us,” she said. “At first, we thought there was some kind of street race happening, which unfortunately is something that happens on the island with cars or motorcycles.”
She continued by describing how a silver compact car suddenly sped past them and several vehicles ahead while weaving dangerously through traffic.
“It overtook us and the cars in front of us at tremendous speed, zig-zagging between vehicles,” she said. “I even told my husband to pull over to the side. I said, ‘At the speed he’s driving, he’s going to kill someone.’”
