An Irishman and his ten year-old son who died in a moped accident in Turkey were ‘carrying out a final errand’ before coming back to Ireland when they were knocked down and killed.
Eoin Fitzpatrick, 36, and his son Dylan died after a bus crashed into them in the tourist area of Alanya on Monday afternoon. Eoin’s other son, a 15-year-old boy, remains in Turkey with his father’s partner and her children.
The mother of the boys is currently on her way to Turkey to help with the repatriation of her child and former partner’s bodies.
According to Turkish media, the father and son’s moped collided with a bus on the D-400 highway in the Kargicak District which was travelling from Alanya to Mersin.
Tributes have been paid to the father and son by those who knew them. Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley, who is a neighbour of Eoin’s in Portlaoise, Co. Laois, said he was ‘devastated’ to hear the news of the sudden deaths.
Speaking to the Irish Daily Mail, Mr Stanley said: ‘Obviously there’s shock and devastation at the loss of these two people. [Dylan] would have been very popular in the neighbourhood... (people) would have seen him mixing with the kids here.
‘My heartfelt sympathies go to the mother of the boy and also to the parents of the deceased man and the grandparents on both sides.
‘In the days and weeks ahead, the community in Portlaoise will rally around both families and hopefully be able to give them some support and comfort.’
Mr Stanley also revealed they were due to fly home from their holiday on the day of tragedy. ‘It looks like they were carrying out a final errand before making their way to the airport when the crash happened.
‘My heartfelt sympathies go to their mam and to the grandparents on both sides. You have grandparents on one side who have lost a son and a grandson.
'I spoke with them this morning and they are devastated. The crash was a last-minute thing. They were using a moped and then this happened,’ he said.
