Two teenagers remain in hospital after a car crash in which a 16-year-old boy was killed. The 17-year-old driver of the car and a 14-year-old passenger are no longer in a life-threatening condition, the Antwerp public prosecutor’s office reports.
Shortly before midnight on Friday evening, the car veered off the road in Brasschaat, clipped a tree with its right-hand side and collided head-on with another tree. A 16-year-old boy was killed. The three other passengers were seriously injured.
The teenagers had been attending a family party together, and a local resident had called the police minutes before the accident to report a disturbance.
The young people and their families will be scarred for life
The circumstances are still under investigation. However, it is known that the driver did not have a licence and was driving at around 100km/h in a 50km/h zone. It is not yet clear how he got hold of the car keys or whether the passengers were wearing seatbelts. A blood sample was taken from the driver to determine if he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The police know who the car belongs to but still need to question the owner, who is also a family member. After the crash, police removed the number plate to protect the privacy of those involved.
The municipality of Brasschaat has opened a book of condolences. Federal minister and Brasschaat resident Jan Jambon has visited the site. The families are part of his circle of friends.
“This has hit everyone hard. It is truly terrible that something like this has happened,” he said. “The young people and their families will be scarred for life.”