A five-month-old baby was murdered in Lanzarote after a car driven by a British woman who was “possibly under the influence of drink or drugs” slammed down a group of UK vacationers, according to officials.
Officials confirmed today that the British national driving the vehicle that killed a five-month-old baby and ran over a group of people in Lanzarote is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.
Police have not confirmed local claims that the victims were UK vacationers. Among the wounded are two women who were transported from the scene critically injured.
However, Yaiza Town Hall, whose police department is looking into the tragedy that occurred at the Playa Blanca resort yesterday evening, reported overnight that the driver of the vehicle that hit them and climbed the pavement is a British woman, age 23, who resides on the island.
“The victims of the accident with multiple casualties are a baby that has died and six people who suffered injuries of varying degrees,” city authorities said in a statement.
“The individual responsible for the mishap is a female resident of Playa Blanca, age 23, with British ancestry,” they stated.
“She is being investigated because there were indications at the scene that she was under the influence of drugs and alcohol.”
“The investigation is still ongoing and is being handled by Yaiza local police.” Yaiza Town Hall offers the victims and their families sincere condolences.
The motorist, who wishes to remain anonymous, allegedly stated that she had a steering issue following the collision, which occurred on a main road curve next to the four-star HL hotel and Aqualava water park, just before 6.30 p.m. local time.Although there was no discussion of alcohol or drugs being a potential influence until town hall officials disclosed her nationality and the new information in the current inquiry, witnesses told police they believed she had been moving too quickly.
Authorities have not yet said if the unidentified foreign national has been placed under official arrest and is being detained, or if she was required to submit to a drug test and breathalyzer test on the spot.
A regional emergency response coordination center maintained by the government provided a comprehensive report on the tragedy late last night, stating that the incident happened at 6:22 p.m. local time.
A five-month-old infant passed away, and six others sustained various injuries.
Following an initial assessment at the scene, it was discovered that two women had sustained several significant injuries. As a result, they were transported to the Doctor Jose Molina Orosa Hospital located in Arrecife, the capital of the island.
Together with two men who suffered lower limb injuries, the hospital also received two additional women who had multiple moderate-level injuries.
“A doctor and nurse from Playa Blanca Health Center, as well as seven land ambulances and an air ambulance, were mobilized due to the seriousness of the incident,” the statement reads.
The Civil Guard, municipal police, firefighters, and Civil Protection employees were among the other emergency responders.
The statement went on: “A car ran over several people in Archipelago Avenue on the corner of Lanzarote Street, which was the subject of the initial 999 calls.”
The medicalized air ambulance was dispatched to Lanzarote Airport due to the expectation that a woman who had sustained severe injuries would be flown to a hospital located in Gran Canaria.
“The task of producing a report on the incident will fall to the local police.”
The Playa Blanca coastline is composed of three larger, yet still enormous, bays that are separated into one large bay that is six miles wide.