Appeal for witnesses after man dies in Co Donegal car crash

A man was killed when his car crashed on a coastal road in Co Donegal and ended up on a nearby beach.

The victim has been named locally as John Patton, who was originally from Derry.

Mr Patton (34) was killed when his grey Volkswagen Golf crashed around 3.50am on Monday on the main Muff to Quigley’s Point road on the Inishowen Peninsula.

The emergency services, including the coastguard, rushed to the scene unaware of how many passengers were in the car.

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The tide on Lough Foyle was partially in and Gardaí feared there may have been other casualties.

A Rescue 118 helicopter using heat-seeking equipment was also drafted in.

Garda Supt Eugene McGovern said when the car entered the water they did not know how many people were in the vehicle.

“We requested assistance from both the coastguard and the rescue helicopter using heat-seeking equipment.

“In the end there was just one person in the car and he was pronounced dead at the scene.”

Mr Patton’s body was removed to the mortuary at Letterkenny University Hospital for a postmortem examination.

The R238 between Muff and Moville is currently closed for Garda forensic collision investigators with local diversions in place, and is expected to re-open later this evening.

Gardaí­ are appealing to anyone who may have information regarding this incident, particularly any road users with camera footage who were travelling on the Muff to Moville road between 3.00am and 4.30am on 3rd February 2020, to contact Buncrana Garda Station on 074 932 0540, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.