The couple who were killed in a horrific M1 pile-up which orphaned their five-year-old daughter have been pictured for the first time.
Karthikeyan and Lavanya Ramasubramanian were taking their daughter to Disneyland when their minibus was ‘squashed flat’ in a crash with two delivery trucks.
The couple were among the six men and two women who died at the scene on the scene on the M1 at Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, on Saturday.
The couple who were killed in a horrific M1 pile-up which orphaned their five-year-old daughter have been pictured for the first time. Pictured: Karthikeyan and Lavanya Ramasubramanian with their daughter
The couple were taking their daughter to Disneyland when their minibus was ‘squashed flat’ in a crash with two delivery trucks. Pictured: Lavanya with her daughter
Six men and two women were killed in the M1 collision in Newport Pagnell, Thames Valley Police said
Their child is reported to have been trapped under a chair and is now fighting for her life in hospital.
Father-of-two Cyriac Joseph, named as the driver of the minibus, was killed instantly in the collision.
Joseph, who was taking a party of Indian tourists to London, is believed to have collided with a second lorry as he attempted to avoid the first vehicle.
Three minibus passengers, including the orphaned five-year-old, were left fighting for their lives and a fourth suffered minor injuries in the crash near Newport Pagnell.
Polish lorry driver Ryszard Masierak, 31, from Worcestershire, has been charged with eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
He also faces four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and eight counts of causing death by careless driving while over the drink-drive limit, Thames Valley Police said.
The couple’s child is reported to have been trapped under a chair and is now fighting for her life in hospital
Pictured: The front of a FedEx lorry was completely caved in (bottom right) while a second lorry appeared to have jack-knifed across the M1 carriageway. The minibus was described as ‘squashed’. The first victim has been named as father-of-two and minibus driver Cyriac Joseph (bottom left and top right)
Bank Holiday horror: The smashed up cab of the FedEx lorry involved in a fatal crash being towed away from the scene as four others remain in hospital
Pictured: Visible skid marks can be seen in the left-hand lane while the churned up verge shows where vehicles collided with the bank
Meanwhile David Wagstaff, 53, of Derwent Street, Stoke-on-Trent, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
Masierak wiped away tears as he appeared at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
He is accused of having 55mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, though the legal driving limit is 35mg.
He made no application for bail and did not indicate how he would plead to the charges.
He was remanded in custody to appear next at Aylesbury Crown Court on September 26.
Speaking outside court, Chief Inspector Henry Parsons, from Thames Valley Police, said: ‘Four people who were injured remain in a serious condition in hospital.
Cyriac Joseph (pictured) was killed outright when his minibus – carrying eleven passengers – was involved in a crash with two lorries
Joseph, who was taking a party of Indian tourists to London, is believed to have collided with a second lorry as he attempted to avoid the first vehicle
The accident happened just after 3am on Saturday morning involving two lorries and a minibus, thought to have been travelling from Nottingham
‘We have had full co-operation from the two freight companies involved and they are fully supporting us with our investigation.’
Mr Joseph, who was the owner of Nottingham-based ABC Travels, was described as an ‘extraordinary father’.
He had been taking his passengers to London from where they were due to start a tour of Europe.
Three other people who died were named on Sunday as employees of IT company Wipro.
A spokeswoman for the firm said: ‘It is with deep regret and sadness that we confirm the passing away of three of our colleagues, Karthikeyan Ramasubramaniyam Pugalur, Rishi Rajeev Kumar, and Vivek Bhaskaran in a tragic road accident in the UK.
‘Another colleague, Mano Ranjan Panneerselvam was critically injured in the accident and we are praying for his speedy recovery.
Service workers at the scene cleaning the motorway before reopening it to the public following the crash
Hundreds are stuck in congested traffic on the M1 northbound after two lorries and a minibus collided just after 3.15am
‘Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all those who lost their lives in this tragedy. We will continue to provide all assistance to the families in this hour of grief.’
The other lorry driver, David Wagstaff, 53, from Stoke-on-Trent, has also been charged in connection with the crash.
He is accused of eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Wagstaff is due to appear at Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court on September 11.