Two teens killed in scooter crash in Waterford are named

Escooter collided with bus in crash on Cork Road on Thursday morning

Gilbert Collins (15) (L) and Avuzwa Idris (17) who were killed when their escooter collided with a bus.
Gilbert Collins (15) (L) and Avuzwa Idris (17) who were killed when their escooter collided with a bus.

Two teenagers who were killed when their escooter collided with a bus in an early morning crash in Waterford city on Thursday have been named locally.

Gilbert Collins (15), the driver of the scooter, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, the R680 Cork Road, after gardaí attended around 2.10am.

Abuzwa Idris (17) survived the immediate aftermath of the crash, but gardaí later confirmed that he had succumbed to his injuries and died at Waterford University Hospital on Thursday afternoon.

Garda sources said the cause of the crash was not yet established and it would take some time to determine what had happened. One local source said it was understood the pair were returning home from an all-night gym when the collision occurred.

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Gilbert was from the Ardmore Park area of the city, and attended St Paul’s Community College in Lisduggan. It is understood that the teenagers were involved in local schoolboy football clubs in the city.

Cllr Joe Kelly, mayor of Waterford city, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased, describing the incident as a “tragedy”.

Tributes to the two teenagers appeared on social media throughout Thursday. “Absolutely honoured to call you my brother,” one video caption on TikTok read, posted by a schoolfriend of Gilbert’s. “I will miss you forever.”

Fiachra Gallagher

Fiachra Gallagher

Fiachra Gallagher is an Irish Times journalist

Conor Lally

Conor Lally

Conor Lally is Security and Crime Editor of The Irish Times