Woman killed and five injured in Cork road crash

A woman in her 20s was killed and five other people were injured when a car crashed into a metal electricity supply pole in Skibbereen in West Cork early this morning.

The single-vehicle incident happened near the roundabout on the Ballydehob side of the Skibbereen bypass at about 1.45am when the car went out of control and hit the pole.

The deceased, a passenger in the car, was pronounced dead at the scene and her body removed to Cork University Hospital for postmortem today.

The male driver, his mid-20s was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving some time after the incident at Skibbereen Garda station. He complained of feeling unwell and was also brought to the hospital.

The dead woman's name has not been released by gardaí pending the notification of next of kin, but it is understood she is Irish and from the West Cork area.

The car had held six persons, four males and two females, at the time. All five other occupants of the car including the driver - aged between 21 and 26 - were taken to Cork University Hospital. It is understood at least two of them have life-threatening injuries.

The road was closed off to allow a Garda forensic crash investigator to examine the scene while the car, a BMW, will also be examined by a Garda PSV inspector.

Gardaí have appealed to anyone who witnessed the crash or travelled the road between 1am and 1.45am to contact them at Skibbereen Garda station on 028-23088 or alternatively on Clonakilty Garda station on 023 8821570, the Garda Confidential Telephone Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.