Four young Portuguese nationals residing in Switzerland were killed in a car accident in France on Friday night when their vehicle veered off the road, according to French authorities. The President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, has extended his condolences to the families.
The victims of the accident, which occurred in Collonges, a municipality near the France-Switzerland border, include two boys, aged 16 and 18, and two girls, both aged 18, as stated by Antoine Celle, the Deputy Prosecutor of Bourg-en-Bresse commune, France.
The four young residents of Switzerland hailed from Trancoso, a municipality in the Guarda district that has also expressed grief over the deaths.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, when contacted, confirmed “the Portuguese identities of the four fatal victims of the traffic accident that happened in France on Friday night” and expressed sorrow over the loss of the young individuals.
What happened?
The young couples were traveling to Paris. Initial evidence “does not suggest drug or alcohol use”, added the Deputy Prosecutor, noting that autopsies have been ordered.
The accident occurred at 10:30 PM local time (9:30 PM in Lisbon) on Friday. Families were reportedly notified during the night.
Following the crash, the vehicle collided with an unspecified object and caught fire.
“Despite the firefighters’ response after a 112 call, all occupants were declared dead,” a local authority spokesperson told the AFP.
Local media reports that Portuguese residents in the area indicate that the location of the crash is known for frequent tragic accidents.
According to local media, citing an official Swiss police statement, an investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances of the accident.
The tragedy is causing deep concern among the Portuguese community in Switzerland.
Four young Portuguese nationals residing in Switzerland were killed in a car accident in France on Friday night when their vehicle veered off the road, according to French authorities.
Lusa | 20:11 – 06/12/2025
President closely monitoring the situation
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa extended his condolences to the families of the four young Portuguese victims of the accident in France this Saturday.
“President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa extends heartfelt condolences to the families of the four young Portuguese nationals, residing in Fribourg, Switzerland, victims of a tragic road accident in France,” read a statement from the Presidency.
“The President of the Republic is closely monitoring the situation, in contact with the Secretary of State of Portuguese Communities,” it concluded.
The municipality of Trancoso, the hometown of the four young victims, used social media to express its sorrow. A post on Trancoso Municipality’s official Facebook page on Saturday at 10:30 PM expressed “its profound regret over the tragic death of four young people from the Trancoso area last night in France.”
