Diogo Jota fatal crash: Police confirm what they suspect caused horror crash

Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota tragically lost his life in a car accident in northwest Spain on Thursday morning, leaving the world of football reeling from the news. He was in a Lamborghini with his brother Andre when the vehicle spun off the road and became engulfed in flames.

The tragedy unfolded when one of the tyres burst as the car attempted to overtake another vehicle on the A-52, near 70 miles west of Valladolid. The crash happened at approximately 12.40am.

Fire services tackled the fire that also affected nearby vegetation, working alongside emergency responders and the Civil Guard. Medical teams were quick to arrive but pronounced the Jota brothers dead at the scene.

A representative for the Civil Guard in Zamora stated: "The investigation into the crash is being carried out by Civil Guard traffic officers. We believe the car suffered a blowout from the marks on the road. The full police report once it is completed will be submitted to a duty court in Zamora which has launched an ongoing judicial investigation into this crash."

The probe's findings are anticipated to require a duration of four to five days, but potentially longer. Although the precise speed at which the car was moving cannot be determined at present, this detail will be made available, at the very least approximately, by the Civil Guard investigators upon reviewing indicators such as skid marks in their conclusive report, reports the Mirror.

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What can be corroborated thus far is that no other cars were implicated in the accident and there were no further casualties.

Twenty-eight year old Jota had recently wed Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children, referring to himself as "the luckiest man in the world" for having her as his partner.

Condolences have been pouring in following the breaking news of this calamity. Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher voiced his emotions on social media: "Absolutely devastated by the sad news about Diogo Jota. Thoughts are with his wife Rute and their three kids."

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand took to social media: "Absolutely heartbreaking. My thoughts and prayers go out to Diogo Jota, Andre Silva, their family and friends!"

Ruben Neves, who played alongside Jota at Wolves and with the Portuguese national team, said: "They say we only lose people when we forget them. I will never forget you!".

Liverpool issued a heartfelt statement expressing their sorrow, saying: "Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota. The club have been informed the 28-year-old has passed away following a road traffic accident in Spain along with his brother, Andre."

Liverpool FC has issued a statement pleading for respect to the privacy of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva's loved ones as they process an inconceivable loss: "Liverpool FC will be making no further comment at this time and request the privacy of Diogo and Andre's family, friends, teammates and club staff is respected as they try to come to terms with an unimaginable loss. We will continue to provide them with our full support."

The Portuguese Football Federation shared their devastating grief through a statement: "The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are completely devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, this morning, in Spain."

The tribute continued to describe Diogo Jota's exceptional character on and off the pitch: "Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all colleagues and opponents, someone with a contagious joy and a reference in his own community. The Portuguese Football Federation expresses its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Diogo and Andre Silva, as well as to Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where the players respectively played."

Acknowledging the profound impact of their passing, the statement honoured their memory: "We have lost two champions. The passing of Diogo and Andre Silva represents irreparable losses for Portuguese Football, and we will do everything to honour their legacy daily."

Jota's immense contribution to Liverpool included 182 appearances and 65 goals. Celebrated for lifting the Premier League title last season and claiming the FA Cup and League Cup triumphs in 2022, his transition to Liverpool came from Wolves in 2020 with a €52 million tag.

His career also spanned across stints with Atletico Madrid, Porto, and Pacos de Ferreira. On an international level, Jota proudly earned 49 caps for Portugal, netting 14 goals.

Jota's sibling Andre Silva was also a footballer, plying his trade for Liga Portugal 2 team Penafiel at the time of his passing.

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