A former beauty queen has been killed in a horror car smash that left six others injured – just months after marrying the love of her life.
CCTV footage showed the moment a pickup truck began to turn in the road – only to be ploughed into at full speed by another vehicle.
Both motors skidded before coming to a halt in a mangled heap of twisted metal.
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The crash happened on Friday (5 Sept) at about 8pm near El Empalme, north of Guayaquil, Ecuador.
At least one report says 27-year-old Shamel Alejandra Álava Zambrano – the only fatality – was travelling in the second pickup with her partner.
Firefighters rushed to the scene, while the injured were taken to nearby hospitals where they remained under care as of yesterday (Sept 7).
Shamel, crowned Queen of El Empalme in 2015-2016, had married the love of her life, Gonzalo Cantos, just last December, as reported by Need To Know.
At the time, Israel commented: “Shamel, I’ve known you my whole life, and it makes me so happy to see that you’ve become a beautiful woman, not just on the outside but on the inside as well.”
Friends and family said she dreamed of one day becoming mayor of her hometown.
She was also widely travelled, often sharing glamorous snaps from Miami, Paris and Rome on social media.
The 27-year-old is survived by her parents and siblings.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the smash, though footage suggests both drivers may share responsibility.
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