Four Irish tourists killed in Australia

Four young backpackers, all believed to be Irish women, have been killed in a car crash in northern Australia, and a fifth woman…

Four young backpackers, all believed to be Irish women, have been killed in a car crash in northern Australia, and a fifth woman is seriously injured.

The accident occurred in the Northern Territories at about 3.30 p.m. local time (7 a.m. Irish time) on Sunday, according to Australian police. The saloon car in which the women were travelling appeared to have blown a tyre and collided with an oncoming truck.

At the time, the women were about two hours south of Darwin, on the main road from Alice Springs. Their car was completely destroyed in the accident; the truck-driver was reported to be uninjured.

Irish embassy officials in Canberra have asked the Garda to contact relatives of the dead women.