Case No. 0390Road traffic collision, burglary · Co. Kildare · 16 Aug 2026
No Garda helicopters available to pursue M9 crash car due to crew shortages
Five teenage boys were killed on 16 August 2026 when their BMW, driven the wrong way down the M9 motorway near Moone, Co Kildare, collided head-on with a Hyundai carrying three women and a seven-year-old boy who were travelling to Dublin Airport for a family wedding in Britain. The deceased were men Jeremy O'Brien, 18, from Carlow; Alex McCarthy, 17, from Carlow; Joey Carthy, 15, from Athy; Jack Kennedy, 17, from Athy, and man Kamil Pustkowski, 17, from Limerick, while the four seriously injured in the Hyundai, women sisters Alma and Niamh Kinsella and Ella Hendricken with her seven-year-old nephew, remain in hospital. Gardaí believe the BMW was driven onto the wrong side of the motorway while evading a stop in Athy and that the youths had been searching for burglary targets in the Kildare area. The case has been referred to Fiosrú, the Police Ombudsman, and Gardaí are investigating a possible link to the Lucky Dip gang; no arrests or charges have been made as of the latest reporting on 22 August 2026.
- Reported16 Aug
10 reports - Arrested
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Five teenage boys were killed and four people were seriously injured in a head-on collision between a BMW and a Hyundai on the M9.
- The BMW was driven the wrong way down the M9 and collided head-on with a Hyundai carrying three women and a seven-year-old boy who were travelling to Dublin Airport for a family wedding in Britain.
- The five deceased teenagers were Jeremy O'Brien, 18, from Carlow; Alex McCarthy, 17, from Carlow; Joey Carthy, 15, from Athy; Jack Kennedy, 17, from Athy; and Kamil Pustkowski, 17, from Limerick.
- The four seriously injured in the Hyundai were sisters Alma and Niamh Kinsella, in their 30s, and Ella Hendricken, in her 20s, with her seven-year-old nephew, all from the Carlow area.
- The BMW was purchased for about €1,100 from a man in Carlow on 11 August 2026, not stolen as initially suspected, and was driven the wrong way down the M9 a number of times before the collision.
- Where
- The crash occurred near Junction 3 of the M9, near Moone, Co Kildare, on the northbound carriageway.
- When
- The crash occurred at around 3am on Sunday 16 August 2026, after the BMW had failed to stop for Gardaí in Athy at about 2am.
- Cause
- Gardaí believe the BMW was driven onto the wrong side of the M9 because the driver was trying to evade Gardaí, the vehicle was suspected of travelling at more than 120km/h, and the youths were believed to have been searching for burglary targets in the Kildare area.
- Investigation
- An instruction was given not to engage with the BMW as it travelled the wrong way down the M9, and neither Garda helicopter was available due to crew shortages in the Garda Air Support Unit.
- The case has been referred to Fiosrú, the Police Ombudsman, and Gardaí are investigating whether the teenagers were associated with the Lucky Dip gang; no arrests or charges have been made.
- Other details
- Gardaí do not believe a sixth person was in the BMW and the investigation is focused solely on the movements of the five deceased teenagers on the night of 15–16 August 2026.
116 statements extracted from the articles
- whatFive teenagers died in the crash (irishmirror.ie)
- whatFour people were seriously injured in the crash (irishmirror.ie)
- whatOne of the seriously injured is a child (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe stolen BMW was trying to evade Gardaí when it drove the wrong way and collided head-on with a family car heading to Dublin Airport (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe BMW had earlier failed to stop for Gardaí (irishmirror.ie)
- whatFive teenage boys were killed in the crash (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe BMW was driven the wrong way on the M9 (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe BMW collided with a family travelling to Dublin Airport (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAlex McCarthy, 17, from Carlow, was killed (irishmirror.ie)
- whatJoey Carthy, 15, from Athy, Kildare, was killed (irishmirror.ie)
- whatJack Kennedy, 17, from Athy, was killed (irishmirror.ie)
- whatKamil Pustkowski, 17, from Limerick, was killed (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe BMW was suspected of driving at more than 120km/h (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe Hyundai occupants were three women and a young child from the same extended family from Carlow (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe female driver and front seat passenger are critically ill in Tallaght University Hospital (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe woman in the back seat is in serious condition at St. Luke's General Hospital in Kilkenny (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAn instruction was given not to engage with the vehicle as it travelled the wrong way down the M9 (irishmirror.ie)
- whatFive teenage boys died and four other people were seriously injured in the head-on collision. (irishtimes.com)
- whatSisters Alma and Niamh Kinsella were in the front of the second car. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe young boy (Ella's nephew) was also seriously injured. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe teenage boys were travelling in a stolen BMW driven down the M9 in the wrong direction in two stints. (irishtimes.com)
- whatKamil Pustkowski, 17, from Limerick, was one of the deceased teenagers. (irishtimes.com)
- whatJack Kennedy, 17, from Athy, Co Kildare, was one of the deceased teenagers. (irishtimes.com)
- whatAlex McCarthy, 17, from Carlow, was one of the deceased teenagers. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThree women and a young boy were injured when the stolen BMW struck their car. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe people in the second car were making their way to Dublin Airport to travel to Britain for a family wedding. (irishtimes.com)
- whatTwo of the women are in critical condition in hospital. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThree women and a boy aged 7 in another vehicle were seriously injured. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe black BMW driven by the teens had been reported stolen that day. (irishtimes.com)
- whatKamil Pustkowski, 17, from Limerick, was one of the five killed. (irishtimes.com)
- whatJack Kennedy, 17, from Athy, Co Kildare, was one of the five killed. (irishtimes.com)
- whatAlex McCarthy, 17, from Carlow, was one of the five killed. (irishtimes.com)
- whatSisters Alma and Niamh Kinsella, in their 30s, were in the front seats of the other car. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe Hyundai was driving in the correct direction on the motorway. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe occupants of the Hyundai were making their way to Dublin Airport to fly to Britain for a family wedding. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe teenagers in the BMW were wearing balaclavas or were otherwise masked when they died. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe BMW crashed head on into a Hyundai car carrying four members of the Kinsella family from Carlow. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe four Kinsella family members were a seven-year-old boy, sisters Niamh and Alma Kinsella, and Ella Hendricken, all of whom received serious injuries. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatFive teenage boys were killed in the M9 crash (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe BMW was being driven the wrong way down the M9 motorway (irishtimes.com)
- whatThree sisters and a seven-year-old boy in the other car suffered serious injuries and remain in hospital (irishtimes.com)
- whatGardaí believe the youths had been searching for burglary targets in the Kildare area (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe youths were pursued by Garda vehicles (irishtimes.com)
- whatOfficial policy prevented gardaí continuing the chase when suspects began driving the wrong way down the motorway (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe unit has roughly half the number of required technicians (irishtimes.com)
- whatNight-time air cover is available only 50 per cent of the time (irishtimes.com)
- whatOne Garda helicopter took off from Baldonnel around 9am Sunday, about six hours after the crash (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe GASU's fixed-wing aircraft is unable to operate at night (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe crash occurred near Junction 3 of the M9 in Co Kildare (irishmirror.ie)
- whereAlma and Niamh Kinsella remain in serious condition in Tallaght University Hospital. (irishtimes.com)
- whereAll four injured in the Hyundai are from the Carlow area. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe crash was a two-vehicle fatal road traffic collision on the M9 Northbound at Junction 3. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe crash was a head-on collision near Moone at about 3am. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe collision occurred near Moone, Co Kildare (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe crash occurred at around 3am on Sunday (irishmirror.ie)
- whenGardaí in a patrol car requested the vehicle to stop at about 2am in Athy. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe crash occurred at about 3am on Sunday in Co Kildare. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe black BMW was bought in the Carlow area on 11 August, five days before the crash. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe crash occurred at around 3am on Sunday 16 August 2026. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeThe family members were struck by a vehicle being driven the wrong way down the motorway. (garda.ie)
- causeGardaí believe the BMW was driven onto the wrong side because the driver was trying to evade gardaí. (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe BMW was driving at speed on the wrong side of the road. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeNeither helicopter was available due to a lack of crew to provide night-time air support (irishtimes.com)
- causeLack of overtime payment, poor pensions, and lack of specified establishment strength contributed to the personnel shortage (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe M9 collision has been referred to Fiosrú, the Police Ombudsman. (garda.ie)
- investigationAn Garda Síochána will fully cooperate with the Police Ombudsman investigation. (garda.ie)
- investigationGardaí were told not to engage with the stolen vehicle before the crash (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationAn instruction was given not to engage with the vehicle as it travelled the wrong way (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí in Athy are continuing their investigation into the crash (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí were not pursuing the BMW at the time of the crash. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí are investigating whether the teenagers were associated with the Lucky Dip gang. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationFiosrú is examining Garda contact with the BMW before the collision. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí initially suspected the BMW had been stolen. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí now believe the BMW changed hands for a small sum of money earlier in the month without registration details being updated. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA patrol car requested the BMW to stop at about 2am in Athy but the driver sped off. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí believe the BMW was driven onto the wrong side of the M9 because the driver was trying to evade gardaí. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí do not believe a sixth person was in the car on the night of the crash. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí said the video does not appear to have been recorded on the night of the incident. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe Garda investigation is focused solely on the movements of five individuals on the night of 15–16 August 2026. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí are not seeking a sixth teenager as part of their inquiries. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe Garda investigation is focused solely on the movements of five individuals on the night of Saturday and the early hours of Sunday. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe Commissioner referenced a recent collision on the M50 as a comparable incident. (garda.ie)
- otherThe Commissioner said Gardaí do what they can to stop wrong-way vehicles while considering all other road users. (garda.ie)
- otherNine people were injured in a head-on collision on the M50 the previous weekend involving a wrong-way car (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe M9 was fully reopened to traffic on Monday morning (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMinister of State Seán Canney said the Government is preparing legislation to protect gardaí when pursuing vehicles driving dangerously. (irishtimes.com)
- otherCanney said he is awaiting gardaí to specify what supports or legislation they need. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe teenagers, some of whom were related, have not been officially identified by the Garda. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe deceased were aligned to a large group known to gardaí around the Carlow-Kildare region. (irishtimes.com)
- otherJoe Carthy is survived by his parents William and Gemma, three brothers and two sisters. (irishtimes.com)
- otherGardaí are satisfied the BMW was not stolen but was bought by one of the teens' associates for €1,100. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe BMW was bought legitimately from a man in Carlow. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe five dead teenagers were aged between 15 and 18. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe BMW is suspected of driving at more than 120 km/h when it crashed near Junction 3 of the M9 at around 3 am on Sunday. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe Hyundai was carrying the Kinsella family travelling to Dublin Airport for a flight to England. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe seven-year-old boy is being treated at Crumlin Children's Hospital. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe female driver and front-seat passenger remain critically ill in Tallaght University Hospital. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe woman in the back seat was in serious condition at St. Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny and was later moved to St Vincent's Hospital in south Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe BMW had earlier failed to stop for Gardaí and an instruction was given not to engage with it as it travelled the wrong way down the M9. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe occupants of the Hyundai were from the same extended family from Carlow. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe authenticity and timing of social media videos purporting to show the teenagers before the crash has not been independently verified. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe BMW was not registered to any of the teenagers or their family members. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThree women and a child in the Hyundai remain in hospital with serious injuries. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe Hyundai was carrying three sisters and a boy on their way to Dublin Airport. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe teenagers in the BMW were wearing balaclavas or were otherwise masked. (irishtimes.com)
- otherAGSI president Declan Higgins referenced a 2021 M7 incident where three young men were killed. (irishtimes.com)
- otherA video showing six teens inside the BMW was circulated on social media. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe Kinsella family was on their way to Dublin Airport. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherA fundraiser for the three Kinsella sisters raised hundreds of thousands of euro within a day. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe BMW was purchased the week before the crash for about €1,000. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe BMW was driven the wrong way down the M9 a number of times before the collision. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe four people in the second vehicle were seriously injured. (irishtimes.com)
- otherAlmost €400,000 had been raised by Wednesday evening for the injured family members. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe injured passengers were travelling from Carlow to Dublin Airport for a flight to Britain for a family wedding. (irishtimes.com)
- otherSnapchat removed videos related to the collision. (irishtimes.com)
- otherGardaí do not believe the video showing a sixth youth was recorded in the lead-up to the crash. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 22 Aug2026No Garda helicopters available to pursue M9 crash car due to crew shortages
Details why neither Garda helicopter was available during the pursuit due to GASU crew shortages, including that only six of at least ten required pilots and roughly half the required technicians are assigned, and that night-time air cover is available only 50% of the time.
victim, malevictim, malevictim, malevictim, malevictim, malevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, 7, male - 19 Aug2026M9 crash: Gardaí rule out involvement of ‘sixth youth’ in fatal motorway incident
Gardaí ruled out a sixth youth; the five deceased were named; details of the four injured passengers and a €400,000 fundraiser were provided; Snapchat confirmed removal of related videos; the BMW had been driven the wrong way down the M9 multiple times before the collision.
victim, Kamil Pustkowski, 17, male, non-irish (judged from name)Kamil Pustkowskivictim, Jack Kennedy, 17, male, irish (judged from name)Jack Kennedyvictim, 18, male, irish (judged from name)victim, 15, male, irish (judged from name)victim, Alex McCarthy, 17, male, irish (judged from name)Alex McCarthyvictim, 30s, female, irish (judged from name)victim, Niamh Kinsella, 30s, female, irish (judged from name)Niamh Kinsellavictim, Ella Hendricken, 20s, female, irish (judged from name)Ella Hendrickenvictim, 7, male - 19 Aug2026M9 crash update as gardaí confirm crucial detail about number of teens in car
Gardaí confirm no sixth person in the car and that a circulated video of six teens inside the BMW was not from the night; names of all five deceased and four injured Kinsella family members identified; fundraiser for the three Kinsella sisters raised hundreds of thousands of euro within a day.
victim, 18, male, irish (judged from name)victim, Alex McCarthy, 17, male, irish (judged from name)Alex McCarthyvictim, Jack Kennedy, 17, male, irish (judged from name)Jack Kennedyvictim, Joey Carthy, 15, male, irish (judged from name)Joey Carthyvictim, Kamil Pustkowski, 17, male, non-irish (judged from name)Kamil Pustkowskivictim, 7, malevictim, female, irish (judged from name)victim, Alma Kinsella, female, irish (judged from name)Alma Kinsellavictim, Ella Hendricken, female, irish (judged from name)Ella Hendricken - 18 Aug2026M9 crash: Car involved in fatal incident was bought rather than stolen, gardaí believe
Clarifies the BMW was purchased rather than stolen, confirms the teenagers were masked and linked to a group in the Carlow-Kildare region, details that a patrol car requested a stop in Athy at 2am and that gardaí were not pursuing at the time of the crash, and reports political and union responses calling for more resources and pursuit training.
victim, malevictim, malevictim, malevictim, malevictim, malevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, male - 18 Aug2026Friends and family of five killed in M9 crash tragedy pay tribute to teenagers
Confirms the BMW was purchased rather than stolen, names all five dead teenagers and the four injured Kinsella family members, details their hospital locations, notes Fiosrú is examining prior Garda contact with the vehicle, and records tributes and political reactions.
victim, Jeremy O'Brien, 18, male, irish (judged from name)Jeremy O'Brienvictim, Alex McCarthy, 17, male, irish (judged from name)Alex McCarthyvictim, Joey Carthy, 15, male, irish (judged from name)Joey Carthyvictim, Jack Kennedy, 17, male, irish (judged from name)Jack Kennedyvictim, Kamil Pustkowski, 17, male, non-irish (judged from name)Kamil Pustkowskivictim, Ella Hendricken, female, irish (judged from name)Ella Hendrickenvictim, female, irish (judged from name)victim, Alma Kinsella, female, irish (judged from name)Alma Kinsellavictim, 7, male - 17 Aug2026Five teenagers killed in M9 wrong-way crash are named locally
Names all five teenagers killed and provides details on the four seriously injured in the other vehicle, including their hospital locations, the fact the BMW had been reported stolen that day, and that the teenagers were wearing balaclavas or were masked.
victim, Kamil Pustkowski, 17, male, non-irish (judged from name)Kamil Pustkowskivictim, Jack Kennedy, 17, male, irish (judged from name)Jack Kennedyvictim, 18, male, irish (judged from name)victim, 15, male, irish (judged from name)victim, Alex McCarthy, 17, male, irish (judged from name)Alex McCarthyvictim, 30s, female, irish (judged from name)victim, Niamh Kinsella, 30s, female, irish (judged from name)Niamh Kinsellavictim, Ella Hendricken, 20s, female, irish (judged from name)Ella Hendrickenvictim, 7, male - 17 Aug2026M9 crash: Garda seeks new training, family remains in hospital as postmortems due on five deceased
GRA vice-president John Joe O'Connell calls for proper training framework for non-compliant stops and notes no gardaí are trained in pursuit training. Names of all five deceased teenagers confirmed. Second car occupants identified as sisters Alma and Niamh Kinsella and their younger sister Ella Hendricken with her nephew; two women in critical condition. Gardaí investigating link to 'Lucky Dip gang'. Minister Canney says Government preparing legislation to protect gardaí in pursuits.
victim, Kamil Pustkowski, 17, male, non-irish (judged from name)Kamil Pustkowskivictim, Jack Kennedy, 17, male, irish (judged from name)Jack Kennedyvictim, late teens, male, irish (judged from name)victim, 15, male, irish (judged from name)victim, Alex McCarthy, 17, male, irish (judged from name)Alex McCarthyvictim, female, irish (judged from name)victim, Niamh Kinsella, female, irish (judged from name)Niamh Kinsellavictim, Ella Hendricken, female, irish (judged from name)Ella Hendrickenvictim, male - 17 Aug2026Five teens killed in horror M9 road smash named with all families notified
Names the five victims, confirms BMW speed over 120km/h, details injuries to Hyundai occupants, notes the BMW had earlier failed to stop for Gardaí, and includes comments from GRA vice-president and Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
victim, 18, male, irish (judged from name)victim, Alex McCarthy, 17, male, irish (judged from name)Alex McCarthyvictim, Joey Carthy, 15, male, irish (judged from name)Joey Carthyvictim, Jack Kennedy, 17, male, irish (judged from name)Jack Kennedyvictim, Kamil Pustkowski, 17, male, non-irish (judged from name)Kamil Pustkowskivictim, 7, malevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, female - 17 Aug2026Gardaí ‘told not to pursue wrong-way driver’ before horror M9 crash
GRA says Gardaí were instructed not to engage with the stolen BMW; details on the pursuit decision, social-media driving culture, and lack of pursuit training among Gardaí.
victimvictimvictimvictimvictimvictimvictimvictim - 16 Aug202616/08/2026 Statement from Garda Commissioner on Fatal Collision on M9
Commissioner's statement confirming the M9 collision has been referred to Fiosrú and commenting on wrong-way driving on motorways, including a reference to the recent M50 collision.
victim