Four Britons – two married couples – have died after their car veered off the road and smashed into a wooded area in central Germany.

The fatal crash happened shortly after midnight on Saturday in the Kassel district, north of Hesse. German police said the vehicle, a British-registered car, left the highway at speed before coming to rest around 30 metres from the road, wedged between trees.

Despite a major emergency response, all four occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.

Victims Identified as Married Couples

Authorities confirmed the victims were a 32-year-old man, a 31-year-old woman, a 32-year-old woman and a 30-year-old woman. Local police indicated that the two couples had been travelling together.

The alarm was first raised when one of the passengers’ mobile phones automatically triggered an emergency SOS alert to German responders, giving their location.

Emergency Services Response

Within minutes, fire crews, ambulances, and command units from Feuerwehr Reinhardshagen were dispatched. Rescuers found the car lying on its side, wedged tightly among trees.

Emergency workers initially struggled to access the victims. Only after the roof of the car was cut away did crews discover all four passengers inside.

UK Officials Not Yet Contacted

UK officials had not been approached for consular assistance. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it was monitoring the situation.

Police in Kassel are investigating the circumstances of the crash, including whether speed, driver fatigue, or road conditions contributed to the tragedy.

Local Reaction

Images released by German firefighters showed the vehicle crushed between heavy woodland trees, highlighting the force of the impact.

A spokesperson for the Reinhardshagen fire service said:

“It was a very severe accident. Our crews worked extensively to free the victims, but sadly no lives could be saved.”