21-year-old Cork woman dies in hit-and-run in the Netherlands

A young student from Cork has died in a road traffic accident in the Netherlands.

Aoife O'Connell, from Ballintemple in the city, was killed on Saturday morning in the city of Utrecht. The 21-year-old was hit by a motorist on Biltsestraatweg in the city at around 4.30am on Saturday morning, according to the Irish Examiner. Ms O'Connell was discovered by passersby. It's reported that she died of her injuries before emergency services arrived on the scene. The driver did not stop initially but later handed himself into local police. The woman's parents are understood to have travelled to the Netherlands to bring her body home. The Department of Foreign Affairs has said it is providing consular assistance to the family. Ms O'Connell was a third year student of economics at UCC. She was on an Erasmus programme in Utrecht, studying at in HU University of Applied Sciences in the city. "UCC wishes to extend its deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Aoife O’Connell, who sadly passed away in the Netherlands at the weekend," the university said in a statement. "UCC is providing support to Aoife’s family and friends at this difficult time."