Two teenagers have died and a third was hospitalised after a car veered off a remote country lane in Kent on Saturday night.
Emergency Response and Fatalities
Emergency services were called to Old Ferry Road in Iwade, near Sittingbourne, at approximately 8.30pm on Saturday, January 3, following reports a vehicle had left the carriageway. The South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) deployed multiple crews, critical care paramedics, and an air ambulance to the scene.
Despite their efforts, two occupants of a blue Ford Fiesta – a 17-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl – were pronounced dead. A third occupant, another 16-year-old girl, was taken to a local hospital for treatment and has since been discharged. The teenagers are all understood to be from the local area, with one reported to be a sixth form student at Fulston Manor School in Sittingbourne.
Police Investigation and Community Mourning
Detectives from the Kent Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit have launched an investigation and are urgently appealing for witnesses. They are asking anyone who was in the area at the time, or who may have relevant dashcam or CCTV footage, to come forward and contact Kent Police.
The road was closed for several hours between the junctions of Raspberry Hill Lane and Sheppey Way while forensic examinations took place. Passersby have since laid floral tributes at the roadside where the tragedy occurred, a poignant reminder of the young lives lost. The remains of several vehicles were reported to still be at the scene.
Calls for Action on Dangerous Road
The accident has reignited concerns about safety on this stretch of road, which is used by drivers travelling between Sittingbourne and Medway. The incident follows several other recent fatalities in the area, including a crash on the M2 near Gillingham on Christmas Eve.
Local councillor Kelvin Rivers-Simpson has now called for immediate measures to prevent further tragedies. The Iwade parish councillor told KentOnline that the corner is "very dangerous" and that while a roundabout has been discussed as part of a highways improvement plan, progress is slow. He stated, "That will be actively dealt with in the not-too-distant future."
