An 18-year-old who died in a car crash in Iceland “was full of joy” on the night she died, her mother has said. Hannah Jane Large, from Greystones in Wicklow, Ireland, was among three people killed after their BMW veered off a road south of the capital Reykjavík in the early hours of Monday morning.
Victims named
The two other victims, a 21-year-old man and a 16-year-old teenage girl, are understood to be Icelandic. They have been named as Arndís Halla Guðlaugsdóttir and Benjamín Guðmundsson, reports the Irish Mirror.
Icelandic President Halla Tómasdóttir paid tribute to all three in a social media post. She wrote: “My thoughts are with the families and friends of the young individuals who died in the tragic accident last night. No words can convey such a loss.”
“When grief knocks in this way, we are reminded of how precious and fragile life is. Let's be careful and look out for each other.”
Mother's tribute
Hannah's mother, Sam, responded to the tribute and said: “She fell in love with your country, she loved the people, and her last few days were the happiest of her life, that is the only consolation we have and hold onto.”
“We spoke to her that night and she was full of joy. Tragic she leaves her brother and us behind.”
Friends' tributes
Tributes have poured in from Hannah's friends. One Icelandic friend wrote: “Everything still feels so unreal to me and I wish I could spend a lot more time with you than we did.”
“You are one of the most important people in my life and nothing will change that, I will carry you with me for the rest of my life in everything I do and everywhere I go.”
“I miss you more than words can say. I miss your laughter, our conversations, all the little things just having you with me.”
Another friend added: “I wish we had more time, more days and more memories together, but I am so infinitely grateful for all the time I had with you and for being able to call you my best friend.”
Consular assistance
A spokesperson for the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs told The Irish Mirror: “The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is aware of this case and is providing consular assistance. As with all consular cases, the Department does not comment on the details of individual cases.”
