Village delays start of feria after local couple killed in Malaga crash

A married couple died as a result of a traffic accident at kilometre 998 of the A-7 motorway on the outskirts of Malaga when a van collided with another car in which Lourdes and Alberto, a middle-aged couple from Mezquitilla (Vélez-Málaga), were travelling at around 2.20am on Thursday 24 August. With them were two other family members who were also injured in the accident.

The death of the couple has shocked Mezquitilla and neighbouring Algarrobo, where Lourdes worked in the canteen of a school and Alberto worked in the tourism sector, according to SUR sources. Apparently, the incident occurred when they were returning from a family trip and had disembarked a ferry in Tarifa from Tangiers at midnight.

The town declared a day of mourning and the opening speech and switching on of the Mezquitilla feria lights, which were due to take place yesterday, Thursday 24 August, have been delayed until today, Friday 25 August.

According to various sources, there was a collision between a van and the vehicle in which the family was travelling, causing it to hit a crash barrier. Witnesses immediately alerted the emergency services and two people were reported to be trapped in the wreckage.