Alanya Town in Antalya City, Turkey.Getty Images
Eoin Fitzpatrick, 36, and his son Dylan, 10, from Mountmellick, Co Laois, have been named locally as the victims of a fatal road collision that occurred yesterday, Monday, July 17, in Alanya in the Antalya Province of Turkey.
The Irish father and son were reportedly riding a moped when it was involved in a collision with a bus on Monday afternoon in the beach resort city.
Local reports suggest that Eoin and Dylan were pronounced dead at the scene after emergency services arrived and that the driver of the bus was detained by police for questioning.
Laois–Offaly Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley, who knows the Fitzpatrick family well, told RTÉ News at One on Tuesday that the father and son were on holidays in Alanya, Turkey along with Dylan's 16-year-old brother.
"They were due to fly home today [Tuesday], as I understand it, and were involved in a fatal accident yesterday, on a moped, and it appears there was a second vehicle involved," Stanley said.
Stanley said the family are neighbors of his who he knows very well. Dylan, he said, would have been "very popular" in the neighborhood, often playing with other local children.
“Obviously there's shock and devastation at the loss of these two people," Stanley said, noting that "it's an awful situation."
He continued: “The mother of the boy was here, she's obviously trying to get to Turkey, to fly out at the moment. So it's a really serious situation."
Stanley said Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy are providing consular assistance.
Stanley said the tragedy is "a huge shock" to the father and son's relatives, adding "nothing could prepare you for it."
He continued: “They seem to have been in the last hours of their holiday.
"It was simply a trip to pick up something that was essential, literally went on a last-minute errand, and the fatal accident happened.
“The Turkish police notified the other family members who were in the holiday resort at the time some hours later after it happened.”
Stanley added: “Unfortunately, it’s an awful tragedy that’s after unfolding. My heartfelt sympathies go to the mother of the boy and also to the parents of the deceased man, the father of the child, and the grandparents on both sides.”
He added: “I know that in the days and the weeks ahead that the community here in Portlaoise will rally around both families and hopefully be able to give them some support, some comfort.”