Five relatives have died in a crash involving four cars and a lorry on the BR-393 motorway in Barra do Piraí, southeastern Brazil. The collision occurred on Saturday morning, October 10, while the family was travelling to the coast for a holiday.
Victims identified
The deceased have been identified as Anderson Nocelli Clemente, 53, his wife Jussara Oliveira Tertuliano Clemente, 55, their daughter Sarah Oliveira Nocelli Clemente, 18, Jussara's sister Marcela Tertuliano, 48, and Marcela's son Bernardo Tertuliano Visona, 13.
The family were travelling in a Hyundai Creta from Juiz de Fora when the accident took place. Reports suggest that their car collided with a lorry transporting ceramic floor tiles, which subsequently overturned. Three other vehicles were also caught up in the incident.
Motorway closed both ways
The lorry's cargo was strewn across the road, leading to the closure of the motorway in both directions. All five family members died at the scene, while nine others sustained injuries. Four of those injured were transported to hospitals in Barra do Piraí.
The cause of the crash remains unclear, and police are currently investigating the incident.
Victims' backgrounds
According to NeedToKnow, the family had been heading to Mambucaba to enjoy the extended holiday weekend. Bernardo was a promising young equestrian competitor who had already secured national titles with the Mangalarga Marchador breed. Dubbed "Golden Boy" by his teammates, he started competing in the sport from a young age and was also a two-time champion of the Rio-Minas Circuit, as per reports from Brazilian media.
Anderson and Jussara ran a nursery school in Juiz de Fora. Marcela was employed by a dental radiology firm. The five victims were buried in Juiz de Fora on Sunday, October 11.
