A DRIVER who killed a five-month-old baby in a horror crash in Lanzarote was a “drunk and drugged up” Brit woman, officials said.
Her vehicle mounted the pavement in the popular resort of Playa Blanca at around 6.30pm local time on Monday.
SolarpixTragedy struck a popular Brit holiday spot on Monday evening[/caption]
SolarpixA five-month-old was killed in the horror crash in Lanzarote[/caption]
SolarpixTwo women were seriously injured, with another three people moderately hurt[/caption]
A five-month-old baby was killed, while two female victims were seriously injured and another three people were moderately hurt.
Local reports allege that some of the victims are British tourists, but local police have not yet confirmed their nationalities.
Officials in Yaiza Town Hall said the driver is a 23-year-old Brit woman who lives on the island.
They said: “The victims of the accident with multiple casualties are a baby that has died and six people who suffered injuries of varying degrees.
“The person who caused the accident is a 23-year-old woman of British origin who lives in Playa Blanca.
“She is under investigation because at the scene she showed signs of being under the influence of alcohol and drugs.”
“The investigation, which is being led by Yaiza local police, remains open. Yaiza Town Hall extends its solidarity to the victims and their families.”
It is understood that the driver of the car told police she had suffered a steering problem.
The horror crash took place on a bend in a main road near the Aqualava water park and four-star HL hotel.
Witnesses told police they thought she had been going too fast, but there was no mention of drink and drugs in their accounts.
It is not yet known if the Brit driver has been formally arrested and is being held in custody, or whether she was breath-tested and made to do a drugs test at the scene.
A regional government-run emergency response coordination centre said: “The incident occurred at 6.22pm local time.
“A baby aged five months died and six people suffered diverse injuries.
“During assistance at the scene two women were found to have suffered serious multiple injuries… and were transferred to Doctor Jose Molina Orosa Hospital in the island capital Arrecife.
“Two other women with several moderate-level multiple injuries were also taken to the same hospital along with two men who had injuries to their lower limbs.
“Seven land ambulances were sent to the scene and an air ambulance was also mobilised because of the seriousness of the incident along with a doctor and nurse from Playa Blanca Health Centre.
“The other emergency responders included firefighters, Civil Protection workers, local police and the Civil Guard.”
Yaiza Town Hall, which is responsible for Playa Blanca, said: “Yaiza Town Hall expresses its solidarity with the victims and their families after a number of people were run over this evening in Playa Blanca.
“Our total respect for the ongoing investigation by the authorities and our gratitude to the security forces and emergency responders involving in dealing with this tragic incident.”
Playa Blanca, White Beach in Spanish, is the most southerly town in Lanzarote, roughly a 40-minute drive from the island airport.
The coastline around Playa Blanca is essentially one large six mile wide bay which is then broken up into three smaller, but still large, bays.
Only last month, an 83-year-old British tourist died after being run over by a bus in Lanzarote.
She had been rushed to hospital in a “critical” condition on February 21 after being hit by the vehicle in the popular resort of Costa Teguise and stabilised at the scene.
And last September, two Brits were among seven injured when a British holidaymaker ploughed into a packed Spanish cafe in his hire car on the neighbouring Canary island of Fuerteventura.
The drama occurred when the car careered off the road and smashed into the outside eatery in the tourist hotspot of Corralejo.
The casualties included a four-month-old baby girl.
SolarpixThe aftermath of the tragic crash[/caption]