A woman has died and five people have been injured in a multiple accident on the AP-7, near Estepona, when a lorry struck a family waiting for assistance on the road. The lorry driver remains missing.
A 70-year-old woman has died and five others have been injured this Monday in a traffic accident on the AP-7, between Benahavís and Estepona, in which a lorry ran over a family that had suffered a breakdown. The incident, which occurred around 17:15, caused the lorry to catch fire and resulted in the complete closure of the motorway in both directions.
According to the 112 Emergencias Andalucía service, the accident occurred at kilometre 1.061 of the AP-7, heading towards Málaga, when a lorry collided with several cars. One of the vehicles involved, in which a family with two children and their grandmother were travelling, had broken down and its occupants were waiting for a tow truck.
Struck while getting into a taxi
Investigation sources have detailed that the family had requested a taxi and, at the moment they were getting into the vehicle, they were struck by the lorry, which also caught fire. The grandmother died instantly, while the mother, aged 40, was taken in very serious condition to the Regional Hospital of Málaga.
The father, the two children, aged 6 and 10, and the tow truck driver were evacuated to the Costa del Sol hospitals in Marbella and Algeciras. All are stable, although under medical observation. The lorry driver remains missing and it is feared that he may have been burned in the flames, which would raise the death toll to two.
Firefighters deployed and traffic cut off
The fire of the lorry, near the Guadalmansa River, necessitated a large-scale operation. Teams from the Provincial Consortium of Firefighters of Málaga and the Marbella City Council, with four fire engines and ten personnel, worked to prevent the flames from spreading to the nearby forested area.
Infoca mobilised a light helicopter, 18 ground personnel, and two fire engines, managing to extinguish the fire shortly after 20:00 without affecting the mountain. However, traffic remains cut off and drivers are being diverted via the A-7, causing delays between San Pedro Alcántara and Marbella.
For residents of the Costa del Sol, this accident serves as a serious warning about the risks of breakdowns on motorways. The AP-7, a heavily trafficked route for tourists and residents, has recorded several incidents this summer. Authorities recommend that in the event of a breakdown, occupants exit the vehicle and position themselves behind safety barriers, away from the roadway.
The Civil Guard is investigating the causes of the incident and is trying to locate the lorry driver. It is expected that traffic will reopen in the coming hours once emergency services complete their removal and cleaning operations.
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