Nearly half a year has gone by since the late Liverpool standout Jota lost his life in a devastating automobile accident. ..Continue Reading
The ex-Portugal national team player passed away with his brother, Andre Silva, during the early hours of July 3, a journey they only undertook because Jota was unable to board a plane due to a recent lung procedure.
Jota, who was meant to mark his 29th birthday on Thursday, had tied the knot with his spouse Rute Cardoso just 11 days prior to the heartbreaking incident.
The global football community was left in shock by the passing of such a prominent Premier League figure, and soon after, law enforcement disclosed the grim details of the event.
The Lamborghini Huracan carrying Jota and his brother veered off the highway and burst into flames.
Due to medical advice against flying after his surgery, Jota opted to drive to Santander, intending to reach England by ferry from Benavente, ultimately arriving in Portsmouth.
It is believed that a tyre on the vehicle failed while overtaking another car on the A-52, roughly 70 miles west of Valladolid.
This led the vehicle to swerve off the road around 12:40 am, and it was consumed by fire moments later.
Emergency responders, including firefighters and the Civil Guard, managed to put out the blaze, but it was confirmed that both individuals had died by the time help arrived.
“The investigation into the crash is being carried out by Civil Guard traffic officers,” read a statement from the Civil Guard in Zamora.
“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.
“That report is going to take time to complete, probably about four or five days, but possibly longer. At this moment in time, it is impossible to say exactly what speed the car was going, but that is something the Civil Guard investigators will be able to detail at least approximately in their final report from things like the skid marks. What I can confirm is that no other vehicle was involved and no one else was hurt.”
The extent of the fire damage made it difficult to immediately identify the victims, and in a deeply emotional turn, Jota’s wife Rute had to confirm their identities herself.
Commenting on the change in travel arrangements following Jota’s operation, CNN Portugal’s Rui Laura said: “The surgery he had had was lung surgery, and he had been advised against flying following this.
“He was on his way to the northern Spanish port city of Santander to cross the ferry and reach the UK that way and carry on with the car once he reached Britain. He was on his way to Liverpool with his brother.”
Jota remained in Portugal after helping his national team win a penalty shootout against Spain in the Nations League final on June 8. A few weeks later, he married his longtime partner Rute, with whom he had three young children.
Liverpool defender Andy Robertson and goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, now playing for Brentford, were present at Jota’s wedding.
What was meant to be a joyful summer for Jota and his loved ones turned into a nightmare in a single night.
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