Best friend of 'bubbly, out-going' schoolgirl killed in A5 collision makes emotional safety plea for road

In a post on social media, Triniti Kelemen – also a pupil at Saint Ciaran's College in Ballygawley – posted: “My best friend was a victim of the collision.

"I will always remember you, Kamile. I miss you #EnoughIsEnough

"The A5 road needs serious changes.

"My best-friend and her boyfriend wasn’t the first, and won’t be last to die on that road.

"It’s been 17 years since we been waiting for a change. MAKE IT HAPPEN ASAP!”

The heartfelt plea comes after tributes were paid to the two teenagers (19-year-old man and 17-year-old girl) who were killed in the collision on the Doogary Road, near Omagh in Co Tyrone at about 9.50pm on Tuesday.

Kamile Vaicikonyte (17) passed away alongside Jamie Moore (19) in the accident on the Doogary Road near Omagh.

Ms Vaicikonyte lived in Aughnacloy with her family and worked in the Supervalu shop in the town.

She was also a sixth-year student at St Ciaran’s College in Ballygawley.

Kamile had been campaigning for an upgrade of the A5 days before her death.

ed to come in for the ‘bubbly, out-going girl who was very popular with both staff and pupils’ after being killed in a single vehicle collision on the A5.

In a statement, principal of St Ciaran's College in Ballygawley, Paul Lavery, described the Year 13 pupil as a "bubbly, out-going girl who was very popular with both staff and pupils".

Mr Lavery added the whole school community is "deeply shocked and saddened" to learn of her death and said the whole school's thoughts are with Ms Vaicikonyte's family at this time.

He said trained staff from the Education Authority critical incident response team will be on site to assist pupils and staff.

It has also emerged that earlier this week, the school held a demonstration to remember people who had died on the A5, calling for long-awaited upgrade work on the road to start.

They also released a video (attached to the story) where pupils stood in the shape of a cross.

The 19-year-old man also killed in the collision has been named locally as Jamie Moore.

His death notice confirms that the Omagh man died ‘tragically as a result of a car accident’.

It adds that he is the ‘dearly beloved son of Karen and Jonathan, a devoted brother of Nathan, loving grandson of John and Ena Arnold and Thomas Moore and the late Ann. A much-loved nephew and cousin’.

It adds that ‘Funeral arrangements to follow’.

A post on Beragh Swifts Football Club says: “Everyone at BSFC is shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic passing of Jamie Moore.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Karen, Jonathan and the entire family circle at this difficult time”.

More than 50 people have been killed on the road since 2006 with upgrade work hit by a series of delays and legal challenges.

Earlier First Minister Michelle O'Neill described the loss of two young lives on the A5 as "absolutely heartbreaking".

"My heart goes out to their families, friends, and everyone affected by this tragedy," Ms O'Neill said.

"No family should ever have to experience this unimaginable heartache."

And the SDLP's West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan said the A5 road "cannot be allowed to claim any more lives".

Mr McCrossan said immediate action was needed to progress the road upgrade.

He said: “My thoughts are with their families and friends today as they come to terms with this tragedy. I cannot imagine what they are going through and I know the community will rally around them.

“Since the return of Stormont we have already seen a number of deaths on the A5, this is happening on a regular basis and our community can not continue to brave these losses.

"Every day people are leaving their homes to travel on this road, causing huge worry in their families who can’t be sure that they will come home.

“We need to progress on the A5 redevelopment, we cannot afford any more delays, people’s lives are literally are stake and no excuse can be justified.

"We need to see the Infrastructure Minister publish the PAC findings and set a firm date for work to begin on the A5 before the end of this year.”

West Tyrone DUP MLA, Tom Buchanan, has expressed his shock and sadness at yet another fatal accident on the A5 road claiming the lives of two young teenagers.

He said: “The shock and sadness amongst the community in the Omagh area following yet another fatal accident on the A5 is devastating.

"This latest tragedy has left two more families grieving the loss of their teenage children, cut off in their youth and we can only but try to comprehend what these families are going through, at this moment in time.

"My immediate thoughts and prayers are with these two families as they seek to come to terms with this sudden loss of life and the heartbreak and sorrow they have been plunged into.”

Earlier PSNI Inspector Cherith Adair, from the Collision Investigation Unit, said: "We received a report of a single vehicle road traffic collision at around 9.50pm, involving a blue BMW.

"Officers attended, alongside colleagues from NIAS.

“A 19-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl sadly died at the scene.

“The Doogary Road, which was closed overnight, has now re-opened.

“Our investigation is continuing, and we are appealing to anyone who was travelling in the area and has dash-cam footage, to contact the Collision Investigation Unit on 101, and quote reference number 1806 of 30/04/24."

A spokesman for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said they ‘received a 999 call at 22:11 on Tuesday, 30th April following reports of an RTC in the Doogary Road Area, Omagh’.

He added that NIAS despatched one Emergency crew, two Rapid Response Paramedics, and one Ambulance Officer to the incident.

He also confirmed that no patients were taken from the scene.