A tragic overnight road accident in the south of France has left a local community in shock. In the early hours of Thursday, September 3, a violent two-car collision occurred on the RD62 highway near the coastal resort town of La Grande-Motte, resulting in the death of a 19-year-old man and injuries to five other young adults.
The incident unfolded around 3:00 AM on the stretch of road linking La Grande-Motte to Lunel. Emergency services rushed to the scene, but they were unable to save one of the victims.
The Fatal Roll-Over
According to initial reports, the first vehicle veered off the road and flipped onto its side, landing in a roadside ditch—locally known as a "roubine." Inside this vehicle were three young people: two 20-year-old women and a 19-year-old man.
The young man became trapped inside the partially submerged vehicle. First responders, including specialized rescue divers, worked rapidly to extract him. Upon retrieval, he was in cardio-respiratory arrest. Despite intensive efforts by firefighters and the emergency medical team (SMUR) to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The two young women in the same vehicle escaped with minor injuries but were treated for severe shock.
Multiple Victims Hospitalized
The second vehicle involved in the crash carried three occupants: two women aged 20 and 22, and an 18-year-old man. All three sustained various injuries during the collision.
Emergency crews stabilized the three injured passengers at the scene. They were then evacuated to the Lapeyronie University Hospital (CHU) in nearby Montpellier for urgent medical evaluation and treatment.
What's Next in the Investigation
Local authorities have launched a formal investigation to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the collision. At this stage, police have not confirmed what caused the first vehicle to leave the asphalt, or how the second vehicle became involved in the impact.
Road safety on the RD62, a heavily traveled route connecting coastal areas to inland towns, is under renewed scrutiny as investigators gather physical evidence and search for potential witnesses to determine the exact circumstances of the tragedy.
