Mother Nature’s wrath as Earth swallows a car killing family of five

Simferopol, Crimea: Six people - including two young children - died after their car fell into a huge sinkhole in the middle of a main road near the Crimean capital of Simferopol.

A video depicting the mangled wreckage of the car at the bottom of the gaping hole shows there was little chance for the victims of the horror crash.

Driver Ibrail Eskandarov desperately tried to apply his brakes before it was too late.

Ibrail, 34, died along with his wife Eskandarova, 33, their three-year-old twins, Asan and Muslim, and daughter, Aliye, 16.

Also killed was their friend, Salimova Asiye, 37.

Her children, Serim, just 12 months old, and Levida, 12, who were also passengers, were taken to hospital with serious injuries. Their condition was described as critical.

According to rescue workers the massive circular hole, which was at least six metres deep and eight metres wide, had suddenly appeared in the middle-of-the-road in front of the car containing eight people.

When the earth caved in below the road, taking the tarmac with it, it also took out electricity cables cutting off power supplies and making it impossible to see.

Rescue workers' spokesman Leonti Kirillov said: "We had 43 rescue staff at the scene with 16 vehicles involved in the rescue effort.

"We managed to save a boy child and a 12-year-old girl.

"The boy has a serious head injury and is still in a coma, and the girl also has multiple fractures. Both are in intensive care."

The accident happened on the highway between the city of Simferopol in the disputed Southern Crimean Peninsula and the village of Nikolaevka.

A spokesman for the regions Emergencies Ministry said that it had been impossible for the driver to have avoided the hole as the road was unlit when it happened.

They said that the six who died had apparently been killed instantly after suffering massive injuries, and the reason for the ground had opened up under the road was currently being investigated.