Tom Ewart Smith
A SWEDISH man of 47 years has died after his car burst into flames following a crash in a tunnel on Spain’s Costa del Sol.
The fatal incident occurred early on Tuesday morning in La Alqueria tunnel, located in the municipality of Benahavis, near the Guadalmina River.
Emergency services were alerted at 7.57am after several witnesses reported a vehicle engulfed in flames beneath the motorway.
When Guardia Civil officers, local police, Marbella firefighters and paramedics arrived at the scene, they found the charred remains of a man inside the vehicle.
He was later identified as a Swedish national who had been living in Estepona.
Initial investigations suggest the man may have lost control of the vehicle due to excessive speed, crashing into the tunnel wall.
It is believed he was unable to escape before the car was consumed by flames.
He had dropped off his eight-year-old daughter at school shortly before the crash, according to reports.
Although police sources have indicated the fire was likely the result of a road accident, the Policia Local in Benahavis – who have taken over the investigation – have not ruled out any possibilities as inquiries continue.
The tragedy follows a similar incident in Mijas late last year, when a woman died after her car crashed and caught fire on a rural property.
In that case, firefighters discovered human remains inside the burnt-out vehicle while extinguishing the flames.
