British pensioner killed in three car pile up in Tenerife

Two other people in the same car as her – also thought to be British – were taken to hospital after the pile-up.

The tragedy happened near the village of Piedra Hincada in western Tenerife.

The woman who died, who has so far been identified only by her initials P.M.M, was travelling in the passenger seat of a Renault Mégane that was hit by a Ford Fiesta driven by a man who lives on the island.

He was taken to hospital along with his girlfriend, who was evacuated from the scene in a helicopter. 

One of the survivors in the Renault Mégane suffered a hip injury and another, a 55-year-old, head injuries.

The incident happened just after 11am yesterday on the TF-46 road.

The nationality of the dead woman was not released immediately after the crash but it emerged this morning she was British. 

Dramatic pictures from the scene showed the fronts of both cars involved in the head-on crash badly damaged.

One of the vehicles caught fire after the collision and passers-by put out the flames before firefighters arrived to rescue those trapped inside the wreckage. 

Before hitting the Renault Mégane, the Ford Fiesta clipped another car which ended up on its side, although none of the people inside suffered serious injuries.

The road was closed for around two hours after the accident.

Local Civil Guard officers are investigating and will present a report to an investigating magistrate tasked with an ongoing criminal probe.

A local emergency services coordinator said: “We were alerted just after 11am yesterday about a road traffic accident involving three vehicles on the TF-46 near Piedra Hincada in the municipality of Guia de Isora.

“One of the vehicles caught fire after the collision.  

“Emergency response teams were activated immediately.

“Firemen found the fire had already been put out by the time they arrived and proceeded to free four of the casualties trapped inside two of the vehicles.

“The dead woman was found to be suffering cardiac arrest and efforts to save her failed.”

As well as paramedics, local police and Civil Guard officers, firefighters from three stations including Adeje in the south of the island, attended the crash scene.

The condition of the four people who survived the crash and were taken to hospital injured, was not immediately known this morning.

The court that will now probe the circumstances surrounding the accident is based in the municipality of Arona in the south of the island.