Devastation as 11 horses killed in lorry accident on motorway
Eleven horses have died and others were injured in a motorway accident involving a horsebox in France.
The lorry, which had come from the UK, was travelling on the A16 motorway, south of Amiens in the Somme region, yesterday afternoon (17 July), carrying polo ponies from Britain to Spain.
A spokesperson for the Préfet de la Somme, the local government authority, told H&H this afternoon that 11 horses have died. Five survived and have been taken to a veterinary clinic for treatment.
Pictures show the trailer element of the HGV tipped to one side, on to the central reservation. It has been reported that some of the horses were thrown clear of the vehicle and others were trapped beneath the trailer.
A spokesperson for the Hurlingham Polo Association told H&H: “The HPA is devastated to hear of the accident in France involving several polo ponies and we will be working to support the owners in any way we can.”
A week ago, the Préfet de la Somme released figures showing that there had been a “sharp increase” in the number of accidents on the region’s roads this year; a 64% increase in the number of human fatalities from 2023.
From the start of the year to 11 July there had been 158 road accidents, causing 23 deaths, compared to 129 accidents and 14 fatalities in the same period last year.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.