Family say Aughnacloy crash victims would 'still be alive' if A5 had been upgraded

The family of those killed in a horror crash on the A5 outside Aughnacloy in April 2023 say they believe all three would 'still be alive' if the road had been upgraded.

Three members of the same family died when the mini bus they were all travelling in collided with a lorry.

4 others were seriously hurt.

Julia McSorley from Newtownstewart was one of those killed, her nephew Dan McKane and niece Christine McKane also died.

'If that road had of been upgraded she would be living today' said Patsy McSorley.

Julie McGeehan, Julia's daughter told UTV ' We definitely believe that if the road had been built when it should have been or family members would be here Mum, Christine and Dan'

The upgrade to the A5 was first announced in 2007.

Since then, there's been over 1,095 collisions.

211 people have been seriously injured in these crashes

And up until September last year 48 people have been killed

A public inquiry into whether the £1.6 billion pound dual carriageway stretching over 50 miles from Aughnacloy to Newbuildings outside Derry should go head finished in June.

The Department for Infrastructure still hasn't announced any decision.

Throughout the years the A5 Western Transport Corridor project has been delayed by legal challenges.

Families of those killed on the road fear more lives will be lost.

'She is missed everyday, every minute. Missed beyond words. I will be aiming to be somebody like her. She definitely was an emblem for anybody to be like' said her granddaughter Tara McKenna.

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