Two British women die in Romania crash during dog rescue trip
Two British women who were helping transport rescued dogs died in a multi-vehicle crash in Romania near the Serbian border. Several of the dogs are also reported to have died.
Rachael Harvey-Purkiss, from Essex, and Allison Condon, from Northamptonshire, were killed in a crash in Romania that reportedly involved multiple vehicles. The collision occurred on Thursday near the border with Serbia.
The two women were in Romania collecting dogs on behalf of Homeward Bound, a UK-based charity that helps street dogs in Turkey. It is understood several of the dogs being transported also died in the crash.
In a Facebook post, Homeward Bound said it was devastated, describing the women as "two beautiful rare diamonds" whose hearts were full of nothing but love and care for animals. The charity asked for time to process the tragedy.
Sammie Condon, daughter of Allison Condon, posted on Facebook thanking people for an outpouring of support and kindness from around the world. She wrote that the trip had been meant to be a beautiful adventure bringing dogs to the life they dreamed of.
Sammie said she believed at least one of the dogs had survived the crash, saying photos showed the animal appeared unharmed and that it was currently with a Romanian rescue organisation. She added that she would travel to Romania before her mother's body is repatriated to the UK.
The Foreign Office said it had not been approached for assistance but that its staff stood ready to support British nationals abroad at any time.
