This is the horror moment a British tourist driving a hire car ploughs into a packed cafe terrace on the holiday island of Fuerteventura and injures eight people including a four-month-old baby.
A man in a red T-shirt and blue jeans, who ended up on the vehicle’s bonnet, appeared to be one of the only casualties who realised what was about to happen and can be seen trying to rescue the baby in its pram.
Footage published by a local paper of the dramatic incident showed that the other victims were caught completely unaware of the car.
One of the victims was a lady in a pink dress who was smashed feet-first into a neighbouring building and hit her head on the ground.
Bystanders could be seen going up to the driver’s door in the seconds after the accident before racing away to raise help.
Five of those hurt, including the baby and an 18-year-old woman, were seriously injured.
One of the victims was a lady in a pink dress (right) who was smashed feet-first into a neighbouring building and hit her head on the ground
A man in a red T-shirt and blue jeans (centre) ended up on the vehicle’s bonnet as the car ploughed into the cafe terrace
The English driver, who has not been named, was also taken to hospital. His condition this morning was unclear.
The crash occurred yesterday morning in the tourist hotspot of Corralejo.
Local police chief Jorge Fleitas confirmed from the scene: ‘A hire car, driven by a person of English origin, lost control of the vehicle in circumstances that are still being investigated.’
Isai Blanco, mayor of the municipality of La Oliva which Corralejo is part of, added: ‘Our thoughts are with the people affected by this tragic incident.
‘We are working closely with the relevant authorities to try to clarify what happened and offering our support to the victims and their families at this difficult time.’
The nationalities of those hurt have not yet been revealed.
As well as the teenager and the baby, the other most seriously-injured casualties were a 49-year-old woman and two men aged 40 and 43.
A five-year-old girl and two men aged 44 and 50 were also hurt.
This is the horror moment a British tourist driving a hire car ploughs into a packed cafe terrace on the holiday island of Fuerteventura
Bystanders could be seen going up to the driver’s door in the seconds after the accident before racing away to raise help
A picture of the aftermath of the crash shows the car’s windscreen smashed and its bonnet dented
Local reports said the British hire car driver had tested negative for both drugs and alcohol during mandatory tests.
Investigators were last night said to be considering the possibility he had suffered a health problem at the wheel of his vehicle.
Police suspect he may have suffered a heart attack or another medical emergency behind the wheel, as emergency services confirmed to local outlet Canarian Weekly that he is one of two people who was rushed to hospital.
Pictures show the rental car, which appears to be a white Dacia Duster, was heavily damaged in the crash, with its windscreen smashed and bonnet dented.
Sources told local media the vehicle was travelling between 50-60mph when it left Avenida Nuestra Señora del Carmen and barrelled towards the packed terrace.
The Mayor of the La Oliva municipality where the accident occurred said in a statement yesterday evening: ‘Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic event.
‘We are working closely with the relevant authorities to clarify what happened and provide support to the victims and their families at this difficult time.’
The horror smash unfolded when a rental car careened off the road in the tourist hotspot of Corralejo, ploughed through the terrace filled with bargoers and slammed into a shop front
A crowd surrounds the scene as paramedics work to evacuate the injured
Two people were airlifted to Las Palmas hospital on Gran Canaria for emergency surgery
Tourists and locals gathered at the scene where the car had smashed into the bar terrace
More pictures from the scene show the damage done to a canopy and objects strewn across the floor
The City Council said: ‘We are working tirelessly to obtain more information about what happened and take the necessary measures to prevent similar situations in the future’.
Fuerteventura is the second largest of Spain’s Canary Islands and the closest to the African mainland.