Five Teenage Boys Ki-l-led in Horror 3am Head-On Crash on Irish Motorway as Family of Four Heading to Airport Is Seriously Injured
Five teenage boys are dead after a head-on smash on an Irish motorway.
The youngsters, who were all in one car travelling the wrong way down the M9, died at the scene in Co Kildare in the early hours of Sunday.
The passengers in the second vehicle are understood to be members of the same family who were travelling to Dublin Airport, with images from the scene showing a suitcase by the roadside.
Emergency services were alerted to a vehicle travelling southbound on the M9 northbound carriageway at junction 3 at around 3am.
Gardaí confirmed the bodies of the five teenage men have now been removed from the scene and taken to Naas General Hospital where post-mortem examinations will take place.
The female driver and front-seat passenger of the second car, both aged in their 30s, have been taken to Tallaght University Hospital and both remain in critical condition.
A female rear-seat passenger, in her 20s, was taken to St Luke’s General Hospital and is in a serious condition, said the spokesman.
The third passenger, a child, has been taken to the Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin and is in a serious condition.
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Five teenage boys who were in a car which was driving the wrong way down a motorway in Ireland before crashing have died. Pictured: The scene on the M9 northbound at Junction 3
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Police said a car was travelling on the M9 in the wrong direction in Co Kildare before it smashed into another vehicle at junction 3 at around 3am on Sunday. Pictured: The scene on the M9 northbound
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A forensic collision examination will take place while police investigate the circumstances of the head-on crash
It has been reported that the vehicle, understood to be a BMW, had earlier failed to stop for Gardai before entering the motorway in the wrong direction and crashing into a Hyundai.
Sources have told the Irish Mirror that officers ‘disengaged’ when it went down the motorway in the wrong direction.
Gardai suspect the vehicle was stolen but have yet to confirm this, The Sun reports.
It is understood that Gardai are attempting to verify if the group, who were reportedly wearing balaclavas or masks, are part of the ‘Lucky Dip’ burglary and car theft.
Gardai initially believed four people had died, but the body of a fifth young male was later found at the scene, according to reports.
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly has described the head-on collision between two cars as ‘horrific’ and warned that ‘in some cases’ vehicles are being driven on the wrong side of motorways for social media likes.
Mr Kelly said: ‘My thoughts are with those injured in this morning’s collision on the M9.
‘These family members were travelling innocently when they were struck by a vehicle being driven the wrong way down the motorway.
‘This horrific incident, following the recent collision on the M50, shows how irresponsible and dangerous driving on the wrong side of the motorway is.
‘That, of course, should be self-evident, but what makes this reckless behaviour even more appalling is that in some cases it is being done for social media likes regardless of the potentially devastating impact it might have on innocent people and themselves.
‘As this particular incident has been referred to Fiosrú, the Police Ombudsman, I am constrained in what I can say in detail about this incident, but I know that gardaí do what they can to stop such vehicles while also taking into consideration all other road users.
‘Gardaí are put in a really challenging situation dealing with such incidents.
‘As always, An Garda Síochána will fully co-operate with the Police Ombudsman investigation which I hope is completed as expeditiously as possible.’
The M9 from junction 3 to junction 4 northbound and southbound remains closed with local diversions in place.
A forensic collision examination will take place while police investigate the circumstances of the smash.
The road is expected to reopen on Sunday night.
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Emergency services were alerted to a vehicle travelling southbound on the M9 northbound carriageway at junction 3 at around 3am
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The M9 from junction 3 to junction 4 northbound and southbound remains closed with local diversions in place. The road is expected to reopen on Sunday night
One source told The Sun: ‘This is a terrible tragedy in which five people are dead and others are fighting for their lives.
‘The crash happened when the BMW drove on the wrong side of the motorway and into oncoming traffic.
‘It’s a miracle others weren’t killed in the incident.’
Officers are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the collision to come forward.
A gardaí spokesperson added: ‘Family liaison officers have been appointed to relatives of the occupants of both vehicles.
‘Gardaí are appealing for any persons who may have witnessed this collision to come forward.
‘Gardaí are appealing to road users who were travelling on the M9 northbound or southbound between 2am and 3am this morning, Sunday August 16 2026, and who may have dashcam footage of the incident or surrounding area to make this footage available to investigating gardaí.’
A statement from Fiosrú said: ‘The referral was made following a fatal road traffic incident on the M9.
‘One of Fiosrú’s on-call team of investigators attended the scene and its independent investigation is ongoing.
‘In line with its statutory remit, Fiosrú’s investigation relates to incidents involving contact with gardaí where a member of the public has died or been seriously injured.’
Nine people were injured in an incident last weekend when there was a head-on collision on the M50 in Dublin with a car travelling in the wrong direction on the motorway.
