Co Tyrone town in mourning after family devastated by road collision

​It is understood that all three victims were members of the same extended family from the Strabane area.

The collision, involving a mini-bus and at least one other vehicle, occurred on the Tullyvar Road around 7.20am.

On Thursday night, Strabane SDLP councillor Steven Edwards said: “Words can’t describe the immense pain and suffering facing a family in Strabane town tonight. Their lives have been shaken to the core in what was a terrible accident.

“My heart goes out to them all. The entire community is deeply shocked and saddened, and will rally around the family in this time of need. All of my thoughts and prayers are with them.”

DUP MLA Deborah Erskine said everyone was in shock hearing the tragic news on Thursday morning.

“We just can’t imagine pain and the loss that is felt by one family tonight in Northern Ireland,” she told BBC ‘Newsline’.

Four people were also taken to hospital following the collision, which occurred close to Aughnacloy Golf Club around two miles from the Ballygawley roundabout.

SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan said: “The accident in Aughnacloy, that has claimed the lives of three local people from this community and left a number of others seriously injured, is an unspeakable tragedy that has devastated a number of families in this area and left the wider community shocked and heartbroken.”

The fatal collision has led to a fresh call for “urgent action” to upgrade the A5 route.

Alliance Omagh councillor Stephen Donnelly has said the upgrade was needed to prevent further fatalities on the notorious stretch of road.

“This is yet another senseless tragedy in a long line of senseless tragedies we’ve unfortunately seen on the A5, and there are clearly very blatant public safety issues there that need to be addressed as a matter of utmost priority,” Mr Donnelly said.