A 12-year-old boy has died after the car he was in was hit by a train at a level crossing in Co Mayo, Ireland. The accident happened in Kiltybo, near Ballyhaunis, shortly after 8:45pm on Thursday. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver of the car, a man in his late 40s, was taken to the hospital with injuries not described as life-threatening. Irish police, known as An Garda Síochána, confirmed that passengers on the train were unharmed and were provided with alternative transport. Forensic Collision Investigators are now examining the site to determine the cause of the crash. On Friday morning, the road was still closed as the boy’s body was transported to Mayo University Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Authorities are appealing for witnesses to come forward with any information they may have. The incident caused significant disruption to the railway line between Westport and Athlone. This was the second disruption on the Westport to Dublin line on Thursday. Earlier in the day, around 3:50pm, a train struck a tractor at a level crossing near Meelaghans, between Portarlington and Tullamore. A man in his 40s was taken to Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore with injuries not believed to be life-threatening. The Health and Safety Authority, which investigates workplace-related incidents, was notified of both collisions. Irish Rail, the national rail operator, expressed its condolences on social media before the boy’s death was officially announced. It later issued a statement expressing its deepest sympathies to the boy’s family. Replacement bus services were arranged for passengers affected by the closures, with routes running from Westport to Athlone and Ballina to Manulla continuing through to Claremorris. The Westport to Athlone line remains closed "until further notice." Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien called the incident "awful news" and expressed his deepest sympathies to the family of the boy, calling the loss of a 12-year-old child "an absolute tragedy." He confirmed that both the boy’s death and the earlier incident involving the tractor would be investigated thoroughly by An Garda Síochána and rail safety investigators. O’Brien emphasized that Ireland has a strong safety record on its railways, and while incidents like this are rare, they are always examined in detail. He noted that it was unusual to have two incidents on the same line in a single day.