Two married couples die in car crash in Germany

Two married couples have been killed in a crash after a car with a British license plate veered off the road in Germany.

The incident happened shortly after midnight on Saturday in the trees near a highway in the Kassel district, north of Hesse.

A phone belonging to one of the victims triggered an automatic accident report and an ambulance was dispatched to the scene.

On arrival, emergency services discovered the car lying on its side, wedged between several tree trunks.

Four people were pulled out of the car and were all pronounced dead at the site of the crash, despite the efforts of German emergency services.

Their names have not yet been released to the public, but they have been identified as two married couples between the ages of 30 and 32.

A statement from the Reinhardshagen Fire Department said: ‘The situation on scene was that a car was lying on its side, wedged between several trees.

‘Initially, we assumed there were only two people in the wreckage.

‘A crew was therefore dispatched to explore the wider area to search for any occupants who might have been ejected during the impact.

‘At the same time, the vehicle was stabilized and a technical rescue using hydraulic rescue equipment was initiated.

‘Shortly after the start of operations, we identified another person in the back seat.

‘Once we had almost completely removed the roof, we discovered another person in the car.

‘The emergency doctor checked the vital functions of the occupants, but unfortunately could only confirm that all of them were dead.’

An investigation into the accident is ongoing and is being conducted by the Hofgeismar police station.

The fire service stressed that the high number of deaths in the crash is an ‘extraordinary operation’ for the local firefighters.

It added: ‘For some of the emergency personnel, it is the first time they have been confronted with death in this way.

‘Therefore, a great deal is being done to help us process these images. We will also discuss this among ourselves and within families, because not everyone can easily shake off what they have seen.’