Three of Pope Francis' family members have died in a traffic accident in Argentina. The wife of the pope's nephew and her two young children were killed, and the pope's nephew was "seriously injured," according to Vatican Radio.
Pope Francis said he was "profoundly saddened" by the news and asked that "all those who share in his grief join him in prayer."
NBC News, citing police in Cordoba, reports that the accident involved a cargo truck and a Chevy Spin. The network adds:
"The Chevy driver — Francis' 35-year-old nephew, Emanuel Bergoglio — was in intensive care in an induced coma after suffering a variety of injuries including liver trauma and a fractured femur, according to police. Bergoglio's wife, 36-year-old Carmona Valeria, and their eight-month-old son Jose died at the scene. Bergoglio's two-year-old, Antonio, later died at the hospital, police added."
Pope Francis recently traveled to South Korea, and on the flight back to Italy discussed the intervention in Iraq, saying that "it is licit to stop the unjust aggressor."
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.