Constantin and Lucia Sîrbu died alongside their baby after their car collided head-on with a lorry in Greece, with their older daughter, seven, seriously injured
A six-month-old baby has died along with her parents as her sister fights for her life after a car crash on holiday.
Lucia Sîrbu, 28, and her husband Constantin Sîrbu, 35, died alongside their baby after their car collided head-on with a lorry tanker – with their seven-year-old daughter, the only member of the family to have survived, in a serious condition in hospital.
The family, from Strășeni in Moldova, were on a road between Nea Moudania and Nikiti in Greece’s Halkidiki peninsula heading to a beach when the tragedy happened.
It is understood that Lucia and the baby died at the scene following the crash while Constantin was cut from the wreckage and rushed to hospital in Polygyros. He died hours later despite desperate efforts to save him.
Their seven-year-old daughter was seriously injured and airlifted to a hospital in Thessaloniki where she remains in a serious condition. Relatives described the couple as close, hard-working, kind people.
Local mayor Valentina Casian has launched an urgent appeal for donations to help repatriate the three bodies.
She wrote on Facebook: “A terrible tragedy has struck a family from the municipality of Straseni. The spouses Constantin and Lucia Sîrbu, together with their six-month-old baby, lost their lives in Greece, and their eight-year-old daughter is hospitalized in serious condition in a hospital.
“The family needs support to cope with this terrible ordeal. I urge all those who can and want to offer help to contribute, to the extent possible, to the accounts opened exclusively for collecting donations, with the family’s consent.
“Every penny counts. Every good thought, every distribution of this message is a real support in these moments of terrible trial. A community is defined not only by what it builds in good times, but also by the way it supports its people in the hardest moments. I trust that the residents of Straseni will respond to this call with the same solidarity and humanity that have united us every time.”
The Greek authorities are investigating the exact cause of the collision where the lorry driver was unharmed. Emergency services arrived at the scene following reports of the crash at around 6pm on July 15, and specialist equipment was needed to get the victims out of their car.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova confirmed that four people from the country had been involved in an accident.
The statement added: “The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Athens is in permanent contact with the Greek authorities, medical institutions and the family, closely monitors the evolution of the case and provides all necessary consular assistance.
“At the same time, the diplomatic mission is taking the necessary steps to provide consular support for the repatriation of the victims.”
