The final photos of two teenage best friends who died in a car crash on the way to their school’s prom have been revealed.
Kiea McCann, 17, and Dlava Mohamed, 16, were killed outside the town of Clones in Co. Monaghan, Ireland on Monday evening.
The pair had been travelling with three others when the car they were travelling in left the N54 and crashed into a tree.
Dlava Mohamed, 16, passed away alongside her best friend— (Facebook)
Just hours earlier, the girls, who were described as “best friends” in their respective obituaries posed for photos ahead of their debs ball, the formal event for students in their final year of secondary school.
Kiea was pictured in a red dress in front of a celebratory balloons display while Dlava was seen softly smiling in a blue gown before heading out.
The images were shared by family members left shocked by the double tragedy.
“I love you so so much Kiea,” heartbroken sister Michaela wrote next to several pictures from the evening.
Father Frankie McCann told the Irish Independent how celebrations had unfolded at the family home hours before the tragedy.
“There was great excitement here in the house before they went out,” he said.
“We had food and champagne and balloons, and it was going to be a great night.”
Both girls’ obituaries detailed how they came from large families who were heartbroken following the crash.
Kiea had enjoyed celebrations at home before leaving for the debs ball— (Facebook)
Another young woman, 18, is in a critical but stable condition at Cavan General Hospital, after the crash.
A 60-year-old man remains in a critical condition in Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital and an 18-year-old man suffered non life-threatening injuries.
Speaking at Clones Garda Station on Tuesday, Superintendent Patrick O’Connell said that the victims’ family members attended the scene on Monday night.
“(They are) suffering from shock and trauma. They were at the scene last night, so they’re trying to deal with the whole aftermath of that and we’re there to try and support them,” he said.
“We have family liaison officers appointed and we will continue over the days and weeks coming to continue to do that.”
People form a guard of honour as the hearse carrying the remains of Kiea McCann arrives to the family home in Clones, Co. Monaghan— (PA)
Mr O’Connell said that gardai and the families of the victims are “eternally grateful” to members of the public who stopped to offer their help at the scene of the crash.
He also thanked the “brilliant” first responders who attended the “harrowing scene” on Monday night.
Principal of Largy College Sharon Magennis expressed her “deepest sympathies” to the families and friends of Dalava Mohammed and Kiea McCann.
She also expressed her gratitude to the first responders and gardai who responded to the incident and said their priority would now be on “the wellbeing and welfare of the students, parents and staff at this difficult time”.
The scene on the N54 Clones where the crash took place— (PA Wire)
Visiting Largy College on Tuesday, Social Protection Minister and local TD Heather Humphreys said that there was “a cloud over the town of Clones”.
“It is every parent’s worst nightmare because nobody expects to get that phone call,” she said.
“One of the parents was on the football field last night and she got the call to go.
“It’s just the shock and to think that this could happen to any child. And I know that many parents across the country are thinking all our children going to Debs, they start off a night full of fun and joy and then it ends up in tragedy.”
Irish police are appealing to people who witnessed or have footage of the incident to get in touch.
