Ballymena double road tragedy takes Northern Ireland road deaths to 42 this year - an increase of 56%
The tragic deaths of two people in a collision in the Ballymena area has raised road deaths in Northern Ireland so far this year to 42 – a 56% increase on 2025.
The man and woman died following a single-vehicle collision in the Glenariffe Road area on Saturday, police said.
She has been named by her Ballyclare father as Natasha Gove.
Her brother Nathan Robinson Gove was one of many who were devastated by the news.
“My little sister, my heart is broke will never be the same without you,” he said.
Natasha's friend Molly McKee added: “Can’t believe it Tasha – fly high my friend, heavens gained another angel.”
Kat Kirk was one of many who expressed deep shock at the news.
“So so sad,” she said. “Tasha made everyone smile, always so full of life. Great we character and will be sadly missed.”
Police said they collision was reported to them shortly before 9.10pm on Saturday, and involved a silver Ford Transit Custom van.
Police and personnel from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, and Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene.
“The occupants of the van, a 41-year-old man, and 31-year-old woman, were both sadly pronounced deceased at the scene,” the PSNI said in a statement.
“No other injuries were reported.”
DUP Glens councillor Bill Kennedy said: “My thoughts are really with the families that have been bereaved.
“I also want to say that these situations are also really challenging for the emergency services to go and deal with.
"There's a lot of trauma involved in fatal accidents and really, the number of deaths on our roads are just appalling.”
He does not know anything about the circumstances of this tragedy, he said.
“But I just would urge people in general to be most careful, especially when out driving in good weather and maybe looking around and not paying attention as they should be to the road. Accidents can happen in just the blink of an eye.”
Asked if he thought the road was in any way tricky, he said: “It is a country road and there are twists and turns on it it is not a highway by any means. So, yes.
“Every road today requires attention when you're driving, but when you're on roads like that you need to be extra careful, especially with visitors and tourists coming along that are not familiar with the roads.”
He emphasised that he was speaking generally and not in relation to the double fatality.
The latest PSNI figures how that 42 people have been killed on Northern Ireland roads so far this, year a 55.6% increase on the number of deaths by this time last year.
Out of the 42 deaths the largest category is in the 24-64 age category, at 23 deaths.
Thirty of the 42 deaths were male and 14 of them have been drivers.
Rural roads appear to be the most dangerous, accounting for 29 of the 42 deaths.
In April, Superintendent Jonathan Wilson of the PSNI Road Policing Unit spoke to the News Letter about the surging number of road fatalities this year.
“To all drivers, we continue to appeal to you to remember the fatal five: slow down, even within the speed limit, never drink or drug drive, stay off your phone, wear your seat belt and don't be distracted,” he said.
Police have appealed for anyone who witnessed the Glenariffe collision or who may have any information about it, including dash-cam or other footage, to contact the Collision Investigation Unit on tel 101, quoting reference number 1423 18/07/26.