Tributes are pouring in for a much-loved family from Thetford, Norfolk, after a devastating car crash in southern Portugal claimed their lives and left two communities—one in the UK, the other in Portugal—deeply shaken. The tragedy unfolded in the early hours of Saturday, August 9, 2025, on the IP2 main road near Castro Verde, in the Algarve region, when the Serrano family’s rented Nissan Juke collided head-on with another vehicle. In total, six lives were lost: Domingos Serrano, 55; his wife Maria Serrano, 51; their twin sons, Domingos and Afonso, both 20; the 19-year-old girlfriend of one of the twins, named Veronica and believed to be of Polish origin; and Ruben Goncalves, a 26-year-old Portuguese man driving the other car.
According to the BBC, the Serrano family had been living in Thetford, but their roots were in the Mourão region of Portugal. The family was on their way from Faro Airport to Mourão, a trip they made regularly for their summer vacation. The Municipal Council of Mourão confirmed that the family were “residents in England, follow from Faro to Mourão, for the usual and deserved vacation.” The council’s statement, delivered with evident sorrow, added, “It is with great regret that the Municipality announces this information, offering its condolences to the families and friends of the victims.”
The crash occurred at approximately 1:40 a.m., on a stretch of road where the speed limit is just under 50 mph (80 kph). Local reports cited by The Sun and The Guardian indicate that the family had landed at Faro Airport only hours earlier, having rented their vehicle for the journey north. The collision was so severe that, according to a source close to the investigation, “officers could only recover half a number plate” before piecing together who was inside. The grim task of confirming the victims’ identities began after the couple’s daughter—unable to reach her parents or brothers—alerted police, who then coordinated with the car hire firm at the airport.
Ruben Goncalves, the Portuguese driver of the second vehicle, was a 26-year-old from Almodôvar, known to have worked at the Neves-Corvo zinc-copper mine and to be the father of a young son. Local authorities and residents have expressed their condolences to all families affected by the tragedy. Tania Marques Da Cruz, a Mourão resident, wrote online, “My most sincere condolences to all those killed. I hope their souls rest in peace. It’s so sad to hear of people leaving their homeland and friends in search of a better life and then have their lives end like this. How unfair life is.”
Back in Thetford, the loss has reverberated through the local community. Thetford Town Football Club, where twins Afonso and Domingos were “integral parts” of the U18 team in recent years, led the tributes. In a heartfelt Facebook post, the club stated, “Thetford Town Football Club would like to pass on our sincere condolences to the Serrano family and the local Portuguese community after the recent tragedy while on holiday. Afonso and Domingos were both an integral part of our U18’s team in recent years, both brothers sadly passed away in Portugal with their parents and friends in a tragic car accident. The loss of this lovely family will leave a massive void in the local community. Partiram, mas nunca serão esquecidos.” The Portuguese phrase translates as, “They are gone, but they will never be forgotten.” The club added in a separate post, “They will be sadly missed. Condolences to all their family. Rest in peace.”
Messages of shock and sympathy have flooded social media. Heidi Smith, a local resident, commented, “Absolute shock, a lovely family and will be missed.” Michelle Jermy wrote, “Absolutely heartbreaking. Such a loss, condolences to all those grieving and thinking of family, friends and the wider community processing the pain from this sad news. Rest in peace.”
Domingos Serrano had celebrated his 55th birthday just two days before the family boarded their flight to Portugal on August 7. The family’s ties to both the UK and Portugal are deep: while the twins are believed to have been born in the UK and held British passports, Domingos and Maria originally hailed from the Mourão region. The UK Foreign Office confirmed that the family were not believed to be British nationals, but their presence in Thetford had clearly left a mark on the community.
In Portugal, the Municipal Council of Mourão responded swiftly, declaring two days of mourning starting Sunday, August 10, 2025, and canceling all municipal activities and events for the weekend. The council’s statement, shared on Facebook, read: “The Municipal Council of Mourão has decreed two days of municipal mourning, effective from tomorrow, Sunday, following the death of five family members involved in a traffic accident last night on the IP2, near Castro Verde. The municipality, in coordination with the family and law enforcement authorities, namely the local GNR post in Castro Verde, obtained the number plate of the vehicle they were travelling in and confirmed the identity of the passengers at 3:35pm today. There were four occupants in the car, all from Mourão, and a young woman with ties to the family. Residents of England, they were travelling from Faro to Mourão for their usual and well-deserved vacation. It is with great sadness that the municipality announces this information, offering its condolences to the families and friends of the victims. We inform you that all activities and events promoted by the municipality are cancelled for the entire weekend.”
Images from the scene show the wreckage of one of the cars on the wrong side of a crash barrier in a field, with local reports noting that the vehicle caught fire after the accident—firefighters were able to extinguish the flames. The GNR, Portugal’s national republican guard, is actively investigating the cause of the collision, though no further details have been released as of yet.
The story has touched two nations, drawing together people from different backgrounds in shared grief. Cesar Caleiro, another Mourão resident, called on the town to “rally round to comfort the families of the victims.” The pain is palpable, but so too is the sense of solidarity and remembrance.
As the investigation continues and both communities mourn, the legacy of the Serrano family endures in the memories of friends, teammates, and loved ones. Their journey was meant to be a homecoming, a celebration of family and heritage. Instead, the loss has left a void that words can barely describe.
Yet, as echoed in so many tributes, they are gone, but they will never be forgotten.