Two killed in crash involving van and bus

By Declan Tierney

A city resident was one of the two men who lost their lives when a bus carrying students was involved in a collision with a van along the N17 near Tuam on Sunday evening.

Conditions were treacherous as the van driven by Alan Howard, a married man living in Salthill, came in contact with a coach which was transporting students from North Galway, Mayo and Sligo to third level colleges in Limerick.

Mr Howard (36) was originally from Carnmore, Oranmore and had moved to Dalysfort Road, Salthill, about a year and a half ago after getting married.

The bus driver, who also died in the crash, was named last night as Peter Lowlass, who was in his 60s and from Westport.

Mr Howard’s van was travelling in the direction of Tuam while the bus was travelling in the opposite direction. Driving conditions were said to have been hazardous at the time.

Shortly after 7.30pm the bus, transporting 27 students, and the van which Mr Howard was driving, were involved in a violent impact which resulted in the immediate deaths of the two drivers.

The road was sealed off by Gardaí immediately after the accident as 12 students were taken to hospital following injuries they received as a result of the impact.

Most suffered bruises to their heads, arms and legs and all were released from University Hospital Galway in the early hours of Monday morning.

The main N17 remained closed to traffic until yesterday afternoon as Gardaí tried to establish the exact cause of the collision which claimed two lives.

Shocked students were comforted by relatives and friends as they tried to come to terms with the death of the bus driver, an employee of Corduff Travel in Mayo, as they had come to know him well.

Garda Supt Tony O’Donnell has appealed for witnesses to the crash to come forward and described it as “a horrendous collision”.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.