‘Empty chair at Christmas’: Driver dead, four injured in horror beach rollover

An international authority is searching for the family of a French student who died in a horror beach crash, as one of the first police officers on the scene speaks out.

Emergency services at the scene of the fatal beach crash at Teeewah. Photo: Nine News

The French consulate has been tasked to contact the family of an international tourist who died in a horror rollover on a Noosa beach at the weekend.

This comes as a police officer who responded to the Teewah Beach tragedy pleaded with drivers to take care ahead of the school holidays.

The 24-year-old international student who was driving at the time died and four other tourists in the vehicle were taken to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital after a 4WD rollover near the Teewah Beach campground on Sunday afternoon.

Tin Can Bay Police Sergeant Mick Bazzo said he believed the French consulate had “taken on the role” of contacting the 24-year-old’s next of kin.

Two of the passengers have been released from hospital.

Two tourists have been released from hospital following a horror crash which killed a 24-year-old international student. Picture – Facebook/Clayton’s Towing.

The hospital has been contacted for an update on the condition of the other two tourists, who on Monday were in stable conditions.

Sergeant Bazzo said an investigation was continuing into the moments before the crash, including the driver’s behaviour leading up to the incident.

A French man is dead and four others were injured in a single-vehicle rollover near the Teewah Beach campground on November 26. Picture: Lifeflight Rescue

He pleaded with people to drive to their capabilities on the beach.

“Beach driving is completely different to highway driving,” the police officer said.

Sergeant Bazzo said there were many things for beach drivers to look out for including ruts, washouts, family groups, people fishing and children playing in the sand.

He said anyone with information regarding the crash, or who had dashcam footage of the 4WD in the moments leading up to the crash, should come forward.

Emergency services surround the 4WD rollover at Teewah Beach on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Nine News

He also asked that people check over their vehicles before driving anywhere this school holidays “and don’t be in a hurry” to arrive at a destination.

Earlier, Clayton’s Towing confirmed the group was in a rental car.

On Sunday, police confirmed the male driver of the Toyota Prado died at the scene after the car rolled several times.

The scene of the 4WD rollover at Teewah Beach on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Nine News

A Queensland Ambulance spokesman said crews, including a rescue chopper, were called just after midday on Sunday, November 26 to a single-car rollover.

The spokesman said four people, including two men aged in their 20s, a man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s had been taken to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital on Sunday, all in stable conditions.

The injured from the Teewah crash were flown to Sunshine Coast University Hospital. Photo: Nine News

It is understood the others in the crash are also international tourists with some staying in the Sunshine Coast region.

Lorenz Weinberg from the Queensland Ambulance Service said it appeared the vehicle had rolled four or five times.

“There will be an empty chair at someone’s place at Christmas,’’ Mr Weinberg told Nine News.

“We just ask people to take care when they are up the beach and think about your actions.’’

Tow truck driver Jason Wotherspoon was one of the first on the scene after picking up another rollover at Teewah earlier Sunday morning.

Mr Wotherspoon said he came across the confronting scene and saw there was “lots of debris” surrounding the car as he radioed into his depot for emergency services to be called.

The injured from the Teewah crash were flown to Sunshine Coast University Hospital. Photo: Nine News

“The fella I had on board has seen what’s happened. I said there you go, that’s a fatality there and I think it really did shake him up, driving on the beach can be dangerous,” Mr Wotherspoon said.

Sergeant Michael Bazzo said a number of witnesses who saw the incident reported seeing the Toyota 4WD driving in “a foolish manner”.

“His manner of driving had a major impact on the crash, we have spoken to witnesses who have witnessed the actual crash and confirmed he was driving in a foolish manner,” Sergeant Bazzo said.

Sergeant Bazzo said as school holidays begin it was a timely reminder to follow the road rules especially when travelling along busy beaches.

“We are forever going down the beach and seeing evidence of very poor driving behaviour, what seems fun at the time can end up with fatal consequences, road rules still apply,” he said.