The scene of the incident where a 23-year-old German man drove his car into three Vietnamese people on the night of July 6, killing two and leaving one with serious injuries. — Photo from DPA
The accident occurred on Mainzer Landstrasse in Gallus District, Frankfurt. Local police confirmed that 23-year-old twin brothers, Nguyen Duy Quang and Nguyen Quang Minh, died at the scene, while their friend, 27-year-old Hoang Trung Hieu, remains in critical condition.
The Consulate General launched immediate citizen protection measures after being notified by German authorities. It coordinated with the Vietnamese Embassy in Berlin and supported visa procedures for the victims’ families. Frankfurt’s immigration office has granted the necessary documents for Hieu’s relatives to visit and care for him.
The twins had been studying in Hamburg since early 2022 and were in Frankfurt to attend a concert by Kendrick Lamar and SZA. Their funeral was held at St. Petri Church in Hamburg, attended by family members, teachers, colleagues, and members of the Vietnamese community.
The Consulate General said it will continue to assist in completing legal procedures to repatriate the ashes of the deceased students in line with regulations.
A fundraising drive will be held at the Vietnamese Consulate General in Frankfurt on July 28 to support the families with repatriation and Hieu’s ongoing treatment. Dr Kambiz Ghawami, Chairman of World University Service Germany, will coordinate the initiative, in partnership with the Consulate General. All three students reportedly came from disadvantaged families.
Anne Schuhmann, the students’ homeroom teacher at Altona Vocational School, described them as kind and open-hearted, saying they "always brought joy to the whole class."
Dr Christina Essers, head of the Kieferorthopäden Altona clinic where the twins were trainees, read a message from a staff member: "Losing them breaks our hearts. But I’m truly grateful to have met them in this life."
The clinic launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover full repatriation, funeral, and related expenses, including compensation for the loss of income that the students regularly sent home. The fundraiser has raised EUR 153,127 and is now closed to further donations.
Driver under investigation for manslaughter and attempted murder
Twin brothers Nguyen Duy Quang and Nguyen Quang Minh. — Photo from GoFundMe
According to police and prosecutors, the 23-year-old male driver suspected of causing the crash was speeding and may have used nitrous oxide (N₂O) before getting behind the wheel.
He first struck the twins’ e-scooter before crashing into Hieu’s scooter. Hieu was thrown onto the car’s windscreen, then onto the bonnet. Despite this, the car continued for another 150 metres before Hieu fell onto the road. He suffered severe head and leg injuries and later underwent partial leg amputation.
Quang’s 24-year-old fiancée, also travelling with the group on a separate e-scooter, was physically unharmed but has been left traumatised.
The driver fled the scene but turned himself in later that night. He has since been detained under a provisional arrest warrant and faces charges including two counts of manslaughter, attempted murder, causing grievous bodily harm, and leaving the scene of an accident.