Driver ploughs in to crowd of people on French holiday island injuring 10 ‘after shouting Allahu Akbar’
A driver crashed into a crowd on a holiday island in France after shouting “Allahu Akbar”.
Ten people were injured in the car crash, three of them seriously, and many victims were airlifted to Poitiers University Hospital.
The incident took place at around 8.45am on Wednesday between the villages of Dolus-d’Oléron and Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron, known as the best holiday destination off France’s West Coast.
According to French media, the driver deliberately steered his vehicle towards pedestrians and cyclists.
Witnesses claimed the man shouted “Allahu Akbar” before speeding off, but investigators have not yet confirmed that detail.
Police are also investigating whether the suspect has mental health issues. French media stated that the anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office is not involved in the investigation at this stage.
Shortly after, the police detained the suspect who tried to set fire to his vehicle. He was taken into custody without resistance.
Local reports say the man is a French national in his thirties and lives in La Cotiniere, a village on the west coast of Île d’Oléron.
‘He is known for his numerous sins, especially due to his regular use of drugs and alcohol,’ Christophe Sueur, mayor of Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron, told Le Parisien.
Reports say the man was not listed on the country’s database used to track suspected radicalization.
Police and prosecutors launched an investigation and the cause of the incident continues to be examined.
According to traffic information from Info Traffic 17, the first incident involving a vehicle and a pedestrian occurred near the Intermarché supermarket in Dolus-d’Oléron.
The incident took place at around 08.45 on Wednesday between the villages of Dolus-d’Oléron and Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron in the Charente-Maritime region.
The second incident involving a pedestrian occurred on the Route du Treuil in the same town. The driver is said to have hit the cyclist.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez wrote about X: ‘This morning, a driver hit several pedestrians and cyclists in Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron and Dolus-d’Oléron.
‘Two victims are in critical condition and three others are injured. The driver was detained by the police. An investigation is ongoing. ‘I am going there at the request of the Prime Minister.’
This is breaking news with more to follow
